Team Seigaku: The Ultimate Tennis Team
by skylark dragonstar
Summary: A parody of the manga 'Astro Kyudan'. This is the story about nine young men who are born with tennis ball shaped birthmarks and superhuman tennis abilities joined to become Team Seigaku. Their goal: to become the no. 1 tennis team in the world.
1. Rebirth of a legacy, The Prince

**Hey all! This is skylark dragonstar. This is my very first fanfic ever so please treat me well!**

**This story is based on an old manga that eventually turned into a drama called Astro Kyudan, starring our favorite boys from the Prince of Tennis. For those of you who never heard of Astro Kyudan before, it is basically a baseball drama about nine men who inherited superhuman baseball abilities and carry baseball shaped birthmarks to form a baseball team together.**

**And so, without further ado, presenting the first chapter of Team Seigaku: the Ultimate Tennis Team!**

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

_ Before we go to the story of the famous Team Seigaku, let us first know the history of another tennis player that helped build this team. Japan once had a great legendary hero in the game of tennis. His name was Nanjiro Echizen. On the tennis courts, he is known to tennis fans as Samurai Nanjiro. Not only was he famous in Japan, but he was given the opportunity to represent his country in America as he participated in the US Open. He was set to achieve his goal to win the Grand Slam...until disaster struck. _

_A shocking accident occurred once Nanjiro Echizen returned to America for the final US Open match and resulted in his sudden and tragic death. And thus, the tennis legend had failed to accomplish his Grand Slam dream, much to his regret and for the fans._

_But his reign didn't end there._

_Several weeks after the death of Nanjiro, a strange phenomenon had occurred, but few had witnessed it. On one certain night, few people in Tokyo swore they had seen 9 shootings stars fall across the sky, stars that nearly look like tennis balls. Years after, that event will be known as the sign of the coming birth of Nanjiro Echizen's heirs who his tennis spirit has chosen._

_This story follows the tale of how nine young men have been gathered together in the path of tennis. The key and sign of their mutual bond are their tennis ball shaped birthmarks and their extraordinary superhuman tennis abilities which no one has seen before, passed down by Samurai Nanjiro himself. _

_Together these nine amazing boys have been chosen as Nanjiro's heirs to become the ultimate tennis team that will complete Echizen's dream to defeat the winning Nationals champion Team Rikkaidai, and then the American team in the US Open and be the ultimate tennis team in the world. _

_This is the tale of the creation of Team Seigaku, the Ultimate Tennis Team._

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><p><strong>Present time, 20 years after Nanjiro Echizen's death<strong>

**...  
><strong>

Somewhere in the mountains outside of Tokyo, there is a boy in junior high who is 12 years old and wears a dark navy cap over his black hair. His name is Kotaro Yanagi. Now Kotaro was riding in the back of a black SUV that had picked him up earlier in the day to drive him to the mountain. Kotaro had no idea where they're going, he doesn't even know who's the one calling him to meet.

Then they came to a stop in front of a gated community that surrounds a private tennis training facility owned by a wealthy man in the tennis business. It turns out to Kotaro's curiosity, that the manager of the training facility had invited the boy to meet with him personally for a chance to talk and meet with him personally.

A man who works at the facility met with Kotaro and told the boy to follow him into a neatly big villa just outside the courts. The house was supposedly the place where the manager lives most likely, Kotaro thought as he followed the man. The inside was the same as you would normally see in a rich person's house. Everything's neatly clean, good furniture sitting around, big plasma TV, and all that stuff. Kotaro was led upstairs to the second floor and they finally stopped in front of one of the room doors. "He's waiting for you in here", the employer told the boy. He then bowed and left the boy to return to his work.

Left alone in the quiet and empty hallway, Kotaro was ready to meet with the manager. Remembering his manners, the boy knocked gently on the door to announce his arrival. Seconds later he heard a man's voice responding from inside, "Come in."

Kotaro then touched the doorknob and turned it so he can enter the room. He walked into what looks like a living space/office room. There was a bookshelf full of trophies, plaques and certificates won from tennis matches and tournaments against one wall. Then Kotaro's attention was caught when he noticed a big picture that's bigger than the others hanging over the fireplace. The framed piece was a picture of nine young boys in their junior high years, standing in a row in front of a blue flag with a red cross in the corner, their team flag. They wore white shorts and tennis jerseys that are white and blue and had the word Seigaku stitched on the front left of their shirts.

In the picture, there was a boy taller than the others wearing glasses that concealed his eyes. The one next to him wore a green bandana over his head and has a scary expression. On the opposite end, there was a boy with brown hair and sideburns followed by a boy with his black hair spiked up. Next to him is a boy with honey brown hair who has his eyes closed but has a pleasant smile. On the right side of the center person is a boy with an egg shaped head with two bangs hanging over his forehead. Beside him is a boy with red hair, a band aid on his right cheek, and out of the team, the cheerfullest member. On the left side of the person in the middle is a boy who had a strict expression on his face and wore glasses as well but are oval shaped. Finally the one in the middle, and the shortest of them, wore a white cap with the letter R stitched in the front.

Looking at this picture was astounding to Kotaro as he gave an audible gasp of awe. He knew exactly who these nine boys are.

"Team Seigaku..." he whispered under his breath, "I wonder what's a picture of them doing here?" If you're a real tennis fan like Kotaro here, you'd know that Team Seigaku is hailed as the world's amazing junior high tennis team Japan has ever seen.

But then Kotaro remembered the reason why he is here in the first place and searched for the person who summoned him. Finally he saw a desk in front of the wide window on the other side of the room and a chair with its back facing to him. As Kotaro walked a little further, he can make out black hair sticking up from behind the chair as a sign that someone is sitting there.

"Excuse me?" Kotaro spoke to get whoever is sitting in the chair's attention.

The one sitting in the chair slowly turned to face the boy and putting down a newspaper that was covering his face. But when he did to reveal himself as a man in his 30s with light brown hair, Kotaro was astonished. It turns out that he knows who this very person is sitting right before him.

"You…You're Yudai Yamato", he said in realization.

"Oh? You know my name already?" the man commented, "Then I suppose you know me because..?"

He allowed Kotaro to finish for him. "Well of course! You're the legendary coach of Team Seigaku!" Kotaro excitedly stated, "Everyone in the tennis knows that."

"I'm flattered", Yamato said with a pleased smile, "You must Kotaro Yanagi. 1st year at Seishun Academy right?"

Like Kotaro said, Yamato was the actual legendary coach and mentor that led and created Team Seigaku years ago. It was quite an honor for a tennis player like Kotaro to meet a man like this in person.

"Yes sir. It's an honor to meet you sir", Kotaro said with respect, bowing his head, but was followed by curiosity. "But how do you know about me?" he asked the man.

"Well Kotaro, I understand from certain friends of mine that you are rather talented in tennis, am I correct?" Yamato inquired.

Kotaro began to show signs of nervousness as he shrugged his shoulders. "Well...I guess I'm somewhat good", he said modestly, "Only because I won a match in the Junior Open Championships few months ago. But it's not like I'm as any good as Team Seigaku."

Here, Yamato had a gleam in his eyes as if Kotaro has said the magic words. "Oh? But you do have something that you never expected. You see, the reason why I've asked you to come...was so I could tell you all about the history of Team Seigaku."

This was all too true for Kotaro to believe. Him hearing the story of how the ultimate tennis team was formed? It truly is a once in a lifetime experience since not many people in Kotaro's generation knew quite the real story behind the team's creation.

"Really? But, why me out of all people?"

Before he spoke, Yamato got up from his office chair and walked over to view outside the window for a while.

"...A long while back, a very good friend of mine, he was in love with tennis, he gave me an important job", he said, "He told me to make his last dream come true, the dream to gather nine boys who will become the number one tennis team in the world. But before he got the chance to see that dream come true...that man who I know died. However following his death, his spirit was reborn into this world, into nine young boys. Those boys are his successors to finish the dream he sought out first."

"You mean...Team Seigaku, was those nine heirs?" said Kotaro with amazement.

Yamato then walked over to his desk again and opened a drawer. He took out something and came over to Kotaro, taking a seat on a big leather chair across from him. From the drawer he just went to, Yamato handed the young tennis player a thick fashioned book that seemed years old. Curiously, Kotaro took the book in his hands and saw on the cover the word, 'Diary'.

"Take a look", Yamato insisted, knowing Kotaro's thoughts of invading others' privacy without permission. And with that, Kotaro opened the book to the first page that Yamato has chronicled in his past. This page has a piece of a newspaper article pasted on that was years old. The picture on the article showed nine shooting stars falling across the night sky and the headline read '_Amazing Sight. Meteor Shower Seen In Tokyo Sky'_.

"That very night showed the sign of the fore-coming birth of the ultimate tennis team", Yamato explained as Kotaro viewed the picture, "The man's spirit who I knew reached out to the nine boys he has chosen as his heirs."

Kotaro looked back up at the portrait of the nine boys Yamato had found and stared at it for a long while, imagining the greatness of how the team was back then in their golden years. Yudai then sat back in his chair, to make himself comfortable for the long story he is about to give.

"I remember like it was yesterday...the first time Team Seigaku had made their first appearance to the public", he recalled with daydreaming eyes staring off into space as he went back in time.

As he spoke, Kotaro decided to follow along by looking through Yudai's diary and listening at the same time. He turned to the page after the falling star event, where he found a pasted newspaper article dated on the day that Yudai is just explaining about.

It had the headline, '_Big Rikkaidai__ Game __Interrupted__ By__ Mysterious__ Player __In__ Bandages!'_ The picture beneath the headline was a snapshot of a boy who looked near Kotaro's age, wearing tennis clothing and a cap. Like the headline said, the boy's face was hidden beneath a layer of bandages as if he came from an accident, yet he's standing in the middle of a tennis court, ready to play.

Yudai then began his story, "It was during Rikkaidai's Kanto Regional match. That was the day I decided to introduce the world to the first player to be called an ultimate tennis player..."

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><p><strong>Chapter<strong>** 1****:**** The ****Birth**** of**** Team ****Seigaku**

**11**** Years ****After ****Nanjiro**** Echizen's ****Death, ****Kanto ****Region**

Our story begins with the day of a Kanto Regional match held in Japan. It has been 11 years since the passing of the famous Nanjiro Echizen. Most of the world has long forgotten the legend by now. Today, it was time to focus on the new generation.

Japan's number one middle school tennis team, and returning Nationals champions was Team Rikkaidai at that time. Now, they were up in a match against a new team called Team Midoriyama, who once gained a spot in the Nationals previously. So far in this game, Rikkaidai has won 3 matches in a row and is on their way to beginning Singles 3.

The commentator of the match spoke, "It is near the start of Singles 3, and Team Rikkaidai is full on the lead after their last 3 winning games. I guess it's clear that Rikkaidai will be heading into a clear victory into the upcoming Nationals again. But right now, it's time to begin the Singles 3 match. Participating is Rikkaidai's Kirahara Akaya against Midoriyama's Junpei Kongawa."

Now from Midoriyama, a new player entered the court to play the next match against Kirihara Akaya in singles. One strange thing about this player though is that his face is wrapped in bandages, concealing his face from the public. Like Kirahara, everyone in the stadium were curious to know the boy's face.

But the only ones who were supposed to know what Kongawa looks like was the rest of Team Midoriyama, who right now were in a bit of confusion.

"Hey wait, what's Junpei doing there?"

"Didn't he had an accident and was sent to the hospital?"

"Yeah and they said that he wasn't supposed to recover until a month!"

The Midoriyama Regular's were conversing among themselves to why the sudden appearance of one of their own.

Sitting somewhere among the hundreds of people in the audience is a man. He wore round sunglasses and a green headband. He has a black sweater with the sleeves tied around his neck so that is hangs on his back. In his hand, he twiddled with a worn out tennis ball playfully as he watched the game taking place. This is Yudai Yamato of course when he was 26 years old. The big difference about his appearance back then was that his hair was originally black and hung down, he wore round sunglasses almost all the time and a green headband across his forehead. When he saw Junpei Kongawa entering the court, preparing to play, he had an interested smile on his face. "Let the show begin..." he said to himself playfully.

Despite Midoriyama's confusion, the game had proceeded to start. The referee announced, "Kongawa to serve!" Kongawa bounced a tennis ball in his left hand, preparing for the serve while Akaya was waiting for the moment to move.

"Here I go..." Kongawa said to himself.

He then tossed the ball up and waited it to come down down. And while it was still in mid-air, Kongawa suddenly used his legs and jumped up before slamming the ball with his racket.

Kirihara was about to move, expecting the ball to come at the opposite of where he's standing, but to his surprise, the ball changed course and zoomed straight toward the ground beside feet. Once it touched the ground, the ball spun uncontrollably on its bottom and the next second later, the it shot up straight towards Kirihara's face unexpectedly. Avoiding to get hit, Kirihara had to jerk his head away at the last moment but he had leaned back so suddenly that he lost his balance and fell on the ground and allowed the ball to pass him.

Now to the referee, the serve that happened just now had occurred so fast that he couldn't tell what happened. But finally he realized that it was a point and announced, "15-love!"

"What the heck was that?" Kirihara finally had the words to say, still bewildered by the serve, "That ball could've hit my face!"

From this serve, Team Midoriyama now has proof that the boy on the court isn't Junpei Kongawa and has began to shout accusations to the ref. "That's not his style of play!" one pointed out. "That's not him!" another said, "He's an imposter!"

The imposter on the court was ready to serve again as he bounced the next ball with his hand. Then he called out to his opponent, "Take note, this will be the debut of the ultimate tennis team."

Of course Kirihara was clueless as to what 'Kongawa' was talking about. But before he can think about that, 'Kongawa' tossed up the ball and did the same move, jumping up from his spot and twisting his upper body onto the ball. Once again, the ball made contact with the ground at Kirihara's feet and spun wildly before shooting up towards Kirihara's face, causing Kirihara to step aside by instinct again.

"30-all!"

Observing the game very closely from Rikkaidai's bunkers is the Vice-Captain, Genichiro Sanada. He is a serious player who has an eye for recognizing techniques used by tennis players of the past and are deemed tennis heroes.

It turns out that he managed to recognize the serve that the boy from Midoriyama had just used. "That serve...It is the Twist Serve", Sanada stated. His teammates heard this and were puzzled. "The Twist Serve?" Jackal repeated, "I never heard such a thing." But then the team's genius, Renji Yanagi, spoke, "That's because only one man is known to ever use that move but...that man is supposed to be dead."

At the same time, Midoriyama's coach, Taizo Kiraku, had watched 'Kongawa's' fast serve carefully and has been in a deep thought. Yasuyuki Kiraku, the coach's son and team captain, noticed his father's expression and asked, "What is it Coach? You know that serve?"

"That serve...I've seen it before...That was the Twist Serve", the coach stated.

Yasuyuki grew curious, as he is unfamiliar with that name. "The Twist Serve?" he repeated, "I never heard of it."

"Of course you haven't", the coach responded, "But that's because only one man has ever used that move in a tennis game several years ago. Could it be...?" After moments of thinking, Kiraku gazed at the boy with the bandaged face and recalled a name from the past.

"...Nanjiro?" he finally said in astonishment.

His son caught him speaking the name and was appalled. "Are you talking about..._the_ Nanjiro Echizen, the Samurai from the Land of the Sakura?" he said with amazement, "But it can't be him!" How is it that someone who is dead somehow seems to be standing right before their eyes?

Nobody else know this, but Coach Kiraku was actually an old acquaintance of the legendary Samurai Nanjiro himself, thus, instantly recognizing the samurai's moves in person.

Nearby, it turns out Rikkaidai has also caught the words that Kiraku had just spoke of.

"Samurai Nanjiro?" Sanada said to himself in wonder, "But he's been dead for 11 years now. No other person could imitate his style so perfectly. Just who is this guy?" He stared out at Midoriyama's imposter with suspicious thoughts. Determined to know, Sanada first turned to his captain Yukimura for an approval. The quiet captain then nodded back and then walked out of their bunker. He called out to the referee, "Excuse me referee, I request a time out. There's been a slight confusion we need to solve."

As they requested, the referee signaled and announced a time out.

With the game put to a halt, the players and coaches from both teams immediately stepped out to confront their mystery guest, leaving the audience puzzled and full of questions.

Right away, several of Midoriyama's regulars demanded answers from the intruder.

"Quit messing with us!"

"Who exactly are you?"

"You have some nerve to intrude another team's match!"

The imposter player showed no fear as he grinned to himself for no reason. Then in a loud voice for the audience to hear, he said, "Do you really want to see who I am?"

Finally for the moment they've been waiting for, the boy removed his cap and began to unwrap the bandages that concealed his face so slowly, uncovering each part of his head. At last, the bandages were off and tossed to the ground, leaving the boy's face exposed to the world.

Their mystery guest was none other than a young boy around 12 and has short black hair. He then replaced the cap he previously wore with a white cap that has the letter R on the front.

"I'm Ryoma Echizen, representing Team Seigaku. Remember that name because...the team I'm going to be in will go down in history", he proclaimed. Now nobody has ever heard of a tennis team named Seigaku before, but the boy's last name happened to be a surprising unique name that many tennis fans should know. Nonstop chatter arose from the audience when the boy's name was mentioned.

"Echizen?"

"Did he say Echizen?"

You mean...? That's _the_ Samurai Nanjiro's son?"

"I didn't know he had a son!"

"But his serve was just like the samurai's!"

Now nobody, including big fans of the late Nanjiro Echizen knew that he had a son, not even Coach Kiraku. From the moment he saw Ryoma's face, Taizo thought that he is seeing a miniature version of his old dead friend again. "Nanjiro's son?" he said in bewilderment, "So that's why he is able to do the exact imitation of the Twist Serve...So much like his father."

Ryoma then turned to Team Rikkaidai and said, "Be ready Rikkaidai. You'll see me again...very soon."

And right after he said this, Ryoma took out a white object from his pocket and tossed it up as if he's doing a regular serve. Then he used his racket to hit the ball, sending it flying towards Yukimura. Of course being a captain for nothing, Yukimura countered the flying object by hitting it with his own racket. But once he did, the 'ball' was revealed to be a bundle full of white powder that bursted open like a smoke bomb. Now white clouds of dust scattered the entire court followed by yells and confusion from the tennis players. The audience couldn't even see what was going on down on the courts.

Finally when the dust and smoke lifted, the tennis players and the audience were surprised to see that Ryoma had disappeared in the middle of the confusion. The only thing left behind was the dark cap he was previously wearing, a tennis ball, and a folded piece of paper lying on the ground. While the teammates were talking amongst themselves about this unexpected event and wondering how Ryoma disappeared, Sanada was the one who walked out to where Ryoma last stood and picked up the paper. He then unfolded it to reveal a message written by the boy. Once he read it quietly to himself, he looked back out at the tennis courts in a deep thought, thinking only of the person who will be future rival.

"Ryoma Echizen..."

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><p>That night, Ryoma's sudden appearance during Rikkaidai's game was all over the news in Tokyo. Ryoma was now in a fine suite in a fancy hotel in Tokyo, where he was watching the news about him.<p>

"_And now today's top news in tennis, Rikkaidai's Kanto Regional match tournament has been halted due to the appearance of a strange boy posing as a member from Team Midoriyama this afternoon", _the newscaster reported, "_All that we do know is that this boy is named Ryoma Echizen, most possibly the actual birth son of the tennis legend Nanjiro Samurai. Could Samurai Nanjiro's legacy be rising again?_"

"A pretty impressive performance if I do say so myself", said a voice from the doorway.

Ryoma turned around and found his coach and trainer, Yudai Yamato, entering the room and joining the boy.

"You really think so? Because I don't think they'll allow me to do that again", said Ryoma modestly as he turned off the TV. He sounded unamused and lack excitement from his own work.

"Of course. By this way, we'll be able to find the other eight players."

"Eight other boys who are like me?" Ryoma inquired, having doubt as he tossed a tennis ball up in the air several times, "It's hard to believe that that's even possible."

Yamato then reached out and touched Ryoma's left arm. He then pushed the boy's wrist band up the arm to show what was hidden underneath it. On the skin of the boy's forearm is a mark of a tennis ball, a birthmark Ryoma carried ever since he was born. "Those that are Nanjiro Echizen's true heirs will most definitely have this birthmark on them as well", Yamato spoke with a positive attitude. Even so, Ryoma is the type of guy who plays alone and is at first not interested in having teammates.

"Well if you say so", he sighed as then started to walk off to his bedroom, "But I'm confident to take on Rikkaidai by myself I wanted to."

Before Ryoma exited, Yamato called out, "There are some things that you can't just do by yourself Ryoma...Your dad has dreamt for this moment for a long time as I've known him. I'm sure he would've wanted you to fulfill his wish along with your teammates. Don't forget that."

At the mention of the late Nanjiro Echizen, Ryoma was silent and couldn't say anything more. He sighed again, hating the way Yamato used the father card on him whenever he's in doubt. "I'm heading to bed", the boy announced as he walked out of the room, pretending as if nothing happened.

Yamato understood his feelings completely. Things took a turn for Ryoma from the day he lost his father who he never knew so much. Ryoma was born the few weeks before Nanjiro Echizen had left to play in the final match of the US Open. But he never returned home after the incident that caused his death.

Yudai Yamato, a close pupil and friend of Nanjiro back when he was a boy, was the one who had been given the task of fulfilling Nanjiro's dream, as he is the one who the samurai trusted the most. A few years after Echizen's death, while Yamato was in middle school, Yamato had started his search for the nine boys who will inherit his teacher's abilities. It was fortunate for him that he managed to discover Ryoma first, due to family connections while Ryoma was a baby. After discovering that Ryoma has the birthmark of the tennis ball, Yamato vowed to finish school and come back to train Ryoma himself when the boy grew bigger.

Once Ryoma became an elementary student and Yamato had just entered high school, Yamato introduced himself to the boy and explained the meaning of his birthmark and how he is to help achieve his father's dream. From that moment, Ryoma agreed to help accomplish his father's dream and accepted Yamato's training. Thanks to Yamato, Ryoma's tennis abilities have further extended and he became a tennis prodigy as his father had done.

Now Yamato looked down at the worn out tennis ball he's been holding and turned it until he could see something on the surface. On it was old writing, a name for an autograph. The name written on the ball read Nanjiro 'Samurai' Echizen. Seeing this name made Yamato look back and remember a memory from the past.

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><p><strong>11<strong>** Years ****Ago,**** Tokyo**

_Yamato was only 12 when he last spoke with the famous Nanjiro Echizen, his best friend and teacher. They were both in Tokyo during Nanjiro's holiday after his achievement in getting into the US Open. It has now been 3 months since they've returned from America and Yudai was heading to the neighborhood park in their hometown._

"_Mr. Echizen!" he called out several times, heading to a certain place in the park by the tennis courts. There, he found Nanjiro Echizen, who was taking a nap and lying on his back under a shady tree. Back then, his hair was long and tied in a high ponytail so he'd look almost like a samurai, and wore a cap as well, just like Ryoma, except he wore it sideways. His nap was interrupted when he heard Yudai calling out to him._

_"Mr. Echizen wake up!" the boy eagerly spoke, "You said you'll play another round with me today. Come on!" Nearly every chance he got, Yudai would always play a small match against Nanjiro for practice in honing his skills. However this day was going to be different than all the others._

_After shaking Nanjiro's shoulder several times, Yudai finally got the man to sit up, now wide awake._

"_Oh Yudai...I just had the strangest dream", said Nanjiro followed by a yawn. "A dream? About what?" asked a curious Yudai. As Nanjiro sat up, he looked up at the sky, trying to recall what he just saw. "I was standing in the middle of a tennis court...and I saw 9 of them. Nine men holding the champion flag from the Nationals."_

_Yudai grew interested in Nanjiro's dream, thinking about how wonderful it is to win the Nationals. It's every tennis player's dream to make it to the Nationals and win.  
><em>

"_Nine men? What kind of men are they?" he asked his coach._

"_Oh these nine...they'll be my successors. The first ultimate tennis team in all of Japan", Nanjiro declared, "They'll have the abilities in tennis that no one has ever seen before. These nine will be the ones who'll win the Nationals."_

_"Wow...I'd sure would like to meet them", Yudai anxiously said._

_Nanjiro looked at Yudai's daydreaming expression and had a grim look on his face. He then got up to his feet to make a sad announcement._

"_Yudai, I think it's time for me to go", said Samurai Nanjiro, "The USA tournament will begin soon. I have to head to America." But this was sad news for young Yamato to accept. "What? No, I don't want you to leave now!" he spoke to protest, wanting to spend more time with his hero, "I would like to learn more about tennis from you!" Nanjiro was sad that he has to leave this boy who he had taught tennis for a long while and patted the boy's head to comfort him. But then, he had an idea._

"_Yudai, hand me your ball", he requested. Yudai looked down at his only tennis ball that he has kept for a long time, but then he handed it to Nanjiro all the same. Nanjiro then took out from his pocket a permanent marker and began to write his autograph and something else on the ball._

_After he finished writing, Nanjiro then knelt down so he can be eye to eye with Yudai. He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and spoke in a strong voice, "Yudai, I've taught you all there is to know about tennis. Now I know you're the right person to help me with my dream."_

"_Me?"_

"_Yes. One day as you get older, help me find the nine men from my vision. Become their coach and teach them all that I've taught you. Once you've found these nine boys, you will create the ultimate tennis team no one has ever seen in Japan, maybe even the world." _

_The sound of this truly made Yudai more honored of this task that his teacher himself is giving him. _

"_But, how will I know who to find?"_

"_You'll know. In my dream, these nine boys will each carry birthmarks shaped like tennis balls on their bodies and will have skills unimaginable in tennis. That will be the signs of the ultimate tennis men."_

_Nanjiro then handed Yudai back the tennis ball he just wrote on. "Take this", he insisted, "Always keep this with you. So to remember your job and bring you luck."_

_Yudai willingly took the ball and stared at it with awe when he saw Nanjiro's autograph written on it. But as he turned the ball over, Yudai noticed that Nanjiro had written something else. On the other side of the ball, Yudai read the words, 'Seigaku fight!'_

"_What's this Seigaku?" he asked his hero._

_Nanjiro gave a bold smile and answered, _"_The name I've decided to call the team of nine ultimate tennis players. Now promise me you'll use that name once you've gathered the nine boys Yudai, okay?"_

_Yudai held the ball tightly and gave a confident nod. "I promise Mr. Echizen", he declared, "I will be the coach and create your team."_

_Nanjiro beamed at his pupil and rubbed his hair_

"_Atta boy", he said proudly, "I knew I can count on you. Now, how about that game you asked for? One on one?"_

_Yudai, hoping to use this chance to spend time with his hero one last time, nodded eagerly._

_"You're on!"_

_And with that, he picked up his tennis racket and followed Nanjiro to the courts, where they'll unknowingly play their last friendly game together as coach and student._

* * *

><p>Back in the present, Yamato had not forgotten the words that Nanjiro had told him on that last day they spent together. The tennis ball Yamato now holds in his hand was the last thing he has to remember his hero back then. He looked on the ball and reread the words Nanjiro had written again as he always does.<p>

"Nanjiro-sensei...I'm going to fulfill your dream", he vowed to himself, "Your son will be part of the ultimate team." He held the tennis ball tightly in his hand as he stared out the window.

* * *

><p>All of Tokyo was still bewildered of the events that happened in the middle of Rikkaidai's game and the appearance of Ryoma Echizen. Things looked as if it was starting to quiet down, until the next day.<p>

Sanada the vice captain came out alone on an empty tennis court in a park so early in the morning so that nobody would be awake and around to see what's he doing. He stepped out on one court with his racket in hand and looked around to make sure he was alone. With no person in sight, he then reached into his pocket and took out a folded piece of paper. This was the letter Ryoma had left behind before he disappeared from the game. The letter was written like this:

'_Genichiro Sanada of Rikkai,_

_ I challenge you to a singles match the day after you receive this letter. _

_Meet me on the courts in the park at exactly 6:00 AM. And don't forget to bring your racket._

_ - Ryoma Echizen of Seigaku'_

After reading the message one more time, Sanada then crumpled up the letter and tossed it away. He had set his mind on facing Echizen personally with the goal to beat him. To pass the time, Sanada took out a tennis ball and practiced hitting it against a wall to warm himself up. As the ball bounced back from the wall, Sanada focused and returned with strong and precise shots.

He then saw someone entering the court, wearing the distinctive white cap and carrying a racket in his left hand so casually. Sanada then caught the ball he was practicing with and faced his competition. The two cap wearing tennis players stared at each other for a long while. Finally Ryoma spoke, "So, are you ready to play?"

"I'm ready to return your Twist Serve", the vice captain said with confidence, "Don't think that you're the best yet."

In response, Ryoma tipped his cap and said casually, "You still got ways to go...Once this game ends, you'll find out the true ability of Team Seigaku." He then lifted his racket off his shoulder and tossed it to his left hand, which surprised Sanada.

He recalled that during the match with Midoriyama, Ryoma had used his right hand when he played against Kirihara. Realizing that Ryoma's dominant hand is the left, Sanada is wondering what is Ryoma's real strength.

"Let me first state this, if I win, you have no choice but to join Team Rikkaidai", Sanada announced, "Prodigies like yourself should play for teams with a chance to reach the Nationals such as us."

Ryoma pondered over this interesting proposition and decided to make fun out of it.

"Alright. But if I win...you'll have to give up your spot in Team Rikkaidai", he declared.

At this bet, Sanada scoffed, not pleased with Ryoma's cockiness.

"Is that it? You're asking for too much Ryoma Echizen..." he warned.

Now Ryoma took his spot on the court and took out a tennis ball. "I hope you don't mind if I make the first serve then Sanada", he confirmed, knowing Sanada's request to go up against his Twist Serve, just like he wanted.

And with that, Sanada watched as Ryoma bounced the ball up and down until he held it tightly in his right hand. Then his eyes followed the ball as it was tossed up over Ryoma's head and made its way down.

Just like in the Kanto Regionals, Ryoma jumped up a few inches from the ground and used the extra body twist to whack the ball hard. Sanada stood his ground, watching the ball Ryoma had shot coming straight at him. He pulled back his racket arm, getting ready to hit it with his own strength...

Suddenly the ball was knocked out of Sanada's path by another tennis ball that was thrown in from out of nowhere. The ball Ryoma and Genichiro were using went left and smacked into the wiry fence and was stuck there. Wondering who did that, Sanada and Ryoma followed the ball's direction in where it come from and found Yamato standing at the court's entrance with another ball in his hand.

"Now Ryoma, you're getting too impatient", the coach sighed as he approached the two. Ryoma was discouraged that his match was interrupted, but he didn't argue with his coach. "I was only playing", Ryoma said in his defense, pulling the brim of his cap down.

Yamato turned to Genichiro and bowed politely. "So sorry to interrupt, but I can't let my player here risk your position on Rikkai with you being their Vice-Captain", he said in regret.

"Who exactly are you two?" Sanada spoke, wanting answers to why these two are appearing frequently only to face Rikkaidai so badly.

Yamato was the one who explained, "We are part of the ultimate team with the goal to fulfill Nanjiro Echizen's dream."

When Sanada heard the tennis legend's name mentioned again, he was appalled to believe that they are related to Nanjiro in some way.

"Samurai Nanjiro who won the US Championship?" he inquired to make sure.

Yamato nodded and said, "Yes, that's the one. It was just a few weeks after his death when his spirit had been reborn. On the birthdate of Samurai Nanjiro, November 11, days after his passing, nine stars fell from the sky and created nine special boys. Those boys are to be the ultimate tennis men."

Now Sanada was catching on to Yamato's explanation very quickly and looked at Ryoma, who's standing with his hands in his pockets acting calm.

"And you're saying that this boy here is one of those nine?" he asked Yamato.

To prove the statement, Ryoma held up his left arm to show Genichiro his birthmark. "This is the sign that proves that a boy has received the title of the ultimate tennis player from Nanjiro Echizen himself", he stated while Sanada was silently stunned by the mark.

"Our goal as Team Seigaku is to defeat Japan's number one tennis team in the Nationals", Yamato added, "And eventually, we'll go against the Americans in the U-17 tournament."

But the Rikkai vice-Captain gave a look of doubt. "The American team?" he repeated, "You must be out of your minds to challenge one of the elite tennis teams in the world that consists of high schoolers. You don't even have a full team yet."

Still, Yamato showed no worry.

"Oh I assure you, we have nothing to worry about", he ensured with a smile, "Once we've gathered the rest of our team, we'll challenge Japan's number one junior high tennis team in a fair game first thing. You can be sure of that."

Hearing enough, Sanada turned and picked up his tennis bag as he began to head out. "Then you're going to need all the luck you can get", he said as he walked away with his back to them, "Finding the eight men you need out of millions in Japan...you might not have a chance to play until 2 years from now."

And with that, Sanada left Yudai and Ryoma, but the two still had hope.

Now that they're alone, Ryoma needed to ask, "Did you have to interrupt like that? He was anxious to hit my serve." He was still expecting to have his match his Sanada without interruption.

"You're thinking ahead of yourself Ryoma", Yamato reminded, "Just be patient. You'll have your chance with him, once we've gathered the remaining eight who will help us beat Rikkaidai. Just you wait..."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well there you go! My first chapter! How'd you like it! Please read and review!**

**Here's a fun trivia question for you. **

**The boy in the beginning of the story, Kotaro Yanagi, is actually the name of a real person who is connected to Prince of Tennis in some way. Do you know how and why? If you think you know the answer, send a PM. If you don't, you'll have to read the next chapter!  
><strong>


	2. Home Run Boy & the Golden Pair

Before we go on with the story, did you all guess the trivia question from the last chapter?

The answer: Kotaro Yanagi, the boy in the beginning of ch. 1, is based on the actor who became the very first to play Ryoma Echizen in the Prince of Tennis musicals. I thought I'd add something from the musical for fun in honor of all the hard work Tenimyu has done. ^-^

So previously in our story, Yamato and Ryoma have announced that a new team will be built, now they need to find their teammates. Who will they find first? The chapter title below should probably be obvious.

I do not own any characters from Prince of Tennis. All works belongs to Konomi Takeshi.

Here we go!

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 2<span> – Home Run Boy and the Golden Pair**

Now if Yamato and Ryoma are going to find the chosen tennis players to their tennis team, they need to start searching for tennis players who are unordinary such as Ryoma.

Eventually, Yamato had the hunch that if you want to look for the best, look in your neighboring competitions. And just like that, after analyzing carefully through other schools' records, they have found their first target from Team Yamabuki.

Team Yamabuki is a neighboring team located in Tokyo, Yamato and Ryoma's hometown. So Yamato drove himself and Ryoma out to Yamabuki Jr. High and found the school's tennis courts.

Now the two sat in the car at a distance from the courts, watching the tennis team doing their practice. Both of them have their eyes on one certain member of the tennis club. Their target is a boy with brown hair and sideburns and a gentle expression on his face.

"Takashi Kawamura", said Yamato to Ryoma based on the information he found, "He's in 9th grade and at the moment, currently playing for Yamabuki. He's actually the son of a sushi chef and is training to take on the family business once he graduates."

Takashi is tall and well fit, yet he is mostly seen as a shy type of guy as he entered the courts and politely greeted his fellow club members.

"So what's special about this guy?" said Ryoma with in his mind, "He looks normal to me." There was no clue leading to the fact that this shy tennis player could be the one they're searching for.

Now the team's captain, Minami Kentaro, called out, "Hey Taka! You forgot this again!" And he tossed Kawamura his yellow tennis racket that he accidentally left behind on the benches. "Oh. Thank you Kentaro", said Kawamura politely and with little embarrassment before he caught his racket.

"My case stands correct", Ryoma stated, not impressed, "A guy who would be silly to forget his own tennis racket at the start of a match would never be one to play in an ultimate team."

"Oh? Look again", Yamato encouraged, "I don't think his club members wouldn't call him Home Run Boy for nothing". He had a sly gleam in his eye from the moment he saw Kawamura gripping his racket.

"Home Run Boy?" Ryoma repeated with a puzzled face, "Why do they call him that?"

It was then, to Ryoma's surprise, Kawamura's face had suddenly changed from plain and gentle to a fearsome mean face of a beast followed by a bold roar. This time he spoke in a firm and powerful voice, "ALRIGHT! LOOK OUT! I'M BURNING UP!" It's as if he became a whole different person.

He then began practice as a club member on the other side of the court Takashi was standing on tossed and served a ball to him.

When the ball came close to his reach, Takashi swung and whacked the ball with huge strength while yelling out, "BURNING!"

His serve was unbelievably strong that the ball flew over high enough out of the courts and seemed to have disappeared into the sky, just like if it's a home run shot, hence the nickname. Some of the other club members were stunned at the boy's strength, but others, like the senior players, gave moans.

"And there goes another ball", said one followed by a sigh, proof that this wasn't the first time something like this happened.

"That's Home Run Boy for you", said another 3rd year.

From the moment Ryoma saw what Kawamura just did on the court, he sat there awestruck and quiet. "...What just happened?" he finally found the words to say.

"As long as he's got a racket in his hands, that young man evolves into a different person", said Yamato, "His specialty is being a baseliner with extra power in his serves as you just saw."

"Are you sure he's a tennis player and not a baseball player?" Ryoma wanted to make sure.

Satisfied with his force of power, Kawamura yelled proudly, "GREAT-O!"

Suddenly a sharp voice spoke, "Hey Kawamura!"

Kawamura got a startle when the voice came from behind him, causing him to drop his racket. When he did, he instantly returned to his normal and gentle self, now quiet.

The one who called his name is a 3rd year Regular for Yamabuki named Jin Akutsu. "Stop daydreaming and get serious", he said strictly, "This is tennis, not baseball. Got it?"

"R-Right", said Takashi obediently, "Sorry." He then resumed back to practice.

"Well we've seen what we needed to see here", Yamato announced as he started the car engine, "Let's go back."

However Ryoma was confused. "Huh? We're leaving him like that?"

"Patience", Yamato encouraged, "We probably need to give him some time. He seems to be quite dedicated to this team for a reason."

And with that, Yamato drove them away, heading home until they can think of a way to bring Kawamura to the team.

* * *

><p>After practice was over for Yamabuki, Takashi went to the outdoor sinks to clean himself up. As he splashed cold water on his face, he took the towel that's hanging around his neck to dry his face. Removing the towel also revealed a surprising secret. Turns out that on the back of Takashi's neck was the mark of a tennis ball, a sign to prove that he's the one Ryoma and Yamato are looking for.<p>

"Kawamura."

Takashi turned around and saw Akutsu standing behind him with his hands in his pockets and eyeing him with his nonpleasant eyes. "Oh Akutsu...Uh look about today's practice, I'll try and improve more", he said eagerly, "At least when I'm able to stop losing more balls." He tried to give a small chuckle.

But somehow, Akutsu noticed Takashi's thoughts from the inside. "What is it now?" he asked suspiciously, as he continued giving him the eye.

Not having a chance to hide anything from Akutsu, Takashi replied, "Well it's just that...the guys from the baseball club came and asked me to join their club for the next season. And I uh..." He paused with hesitance, wondering if he should continue.

"And? What did you tell them?" Akutsu inquired.

"I...I told them that I would think about it. But, maybe it is best if I join the baseball club right? I mean, I'm Home Run Boy after all."

It was clear that Takashi didn't want to show his true thoughts about himself and try to hide it with a small laugh. However this doesn't seem to convince Akutsu as he sighed.

Then Akutsu turned his back to Kawamura and said, "Come on."

Kawamura watched his friend heading towards the direction to the tennis courts again. "Huh? We're we going?" he asked.

"You need practice to control your power shots am I right?" Akutsu inquired, "Or do you not need my help?"

He stopped walking and looked back at Kawamura, waiting for an answer. To Kawamura's pleasure, he gratefully smiled and replied, "Oh no! That'll be great!"

Behind his back, Akutsu had a hidden smirk as he led Kawamura back to the courts.

With the courts all to themselves, Akutsu and Kawamura can practice without any people bothering them. "Aim lower!" Akutsu called out, giving advice once in a while. Takashi heard this and on the next shot, used the tip and surprisingly managed to keep the ball in the court this time. During these private practices when it's just the two of them, Akutsu and Kawamura appeared to be more friendly with each other.

As the two were rallying with each other for a long while, Kawamura thought back at the memories of the pleasant times when he and Akutsu were younger.

"_Of course...I don't need to leave the tennis club. Jin and I have always stuck together thick and thin and have made it through. During katate class, when the older kids would pick on me for being shy, Jin was there to back me up. And if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have made it on the tennis club. As long as I can try and please him, I know I'll get through somehow."  
><em>

* * *

><p>The next location where our next chosen player will be revealed is at a local gym facility open to any neighboring residents to train, which is still around Tokyo fortunately. Shuichiro Oishi, a 9th grade boy and a student who is studying to be a doctor, was sitting in one of the gymnastics room. He sat on a bench writing in his school notebook for a homework assignment.<p>

As he continued writing, a group of school girls from his school came walking by, about to head out. "Hey Shuichiro, do you want to eat out with us this time?" one of the girls asked. To be polite Oishi gave them a smile. "Sorry ladies, but I'm helping out with something tonight", he said with regret, "My boss might get mad if we don't prepare." "Oh, too bad", said one girl with a sad pout. But then another said, "Well, okay. See you later!" Oishi waved to the girls and saw them leave, but once they left, he sighed. He admits the fact that he's usually busy to spend leisure in his time. But nevertheless, he ends up not minding it a bit.

Now he turned his attention to the books he had brought with him. They were books about medical and health of course. He was about to resume reading through one of them when he noticed a tennis ball lying by his stuff. Feeling like he wanted to do something, Oishi picked up the tennis ball and tossed it up and down a few times. Then just for fun, he faced the wall that's closest to him and threw the ball at the wall and let it bounce against it and bounce back to him. When he caught it, he threw it again and managed to hit the same spot on the wall. He continued bouncing the ball a few more times, hitting the same area over and over with ease.

But then Oishi's concentration was interrupted when he felt a funny feeling coming from his right arm. After catching the ball, he pulled up his right shirt sleeve and looked at his bare right shoulder, where a tennis shaped birthmark is visible. The fuzzy sensation he just felt came from the birthmark itself, which got Shuichiro puzzled. "Weird...Why does it feel funny just now", he said to himself in curiosity.

"Excuse me, do you have a moment?"

Oishi looked up and was approached by two unexpected visitors entering the gym, Yamato and Ryoma.

"Oh uh...can I help you?" asked Oishi politely.

Before any of the two spoke, Ryoma and Yamato noticed the some ball imprints visible on the wall, where Oishi had bounced the ball against earlier. Ryoma was impressed at the fact that Oishi has successfully bounced the ball at the exact same spot in a row. At the same time, as Yamato faced Oishi, he couldn't help but notice the distinctive birthmark visible on Oishi's shoulder. So then the coach asked, "You are Shuichiro Oishi?"

Oishi nodded his head and replied, "Yes. I'm him."

As Ryoma explored the place, he noticed that a black tennis racket with an orange handle is leaning against Oishi's belongings. "Just out of curiosity, do you play tennis?" Ryoma asked the 9th grader.

"Well uh..Yeah I actually do", he said modestly, "I love playing it. Why do you ask?"

This was all the proof Yamato needed.

"Because...you might have a chance for a golden opportunity in your future my friend", the coach announced proudly.

As Yamato talked, the three failed to notice that they weren't the only ones in the gym at the moment.

Oishi heard what Yamato just said and repeated, "A golden opportunity?"

At that moment, a new voice spoke from out of nowhere.

"Hey Oishi, who are those guys down there?"

Ryoma and Yamato heard and followed the voice that led to above their heads. They looked up and were surprised to find someone sitting on the trapeze like a kid on a swing set, high up from the ground.

On the trapeze is a boy at the age of 14 with red hair and a band-aid on his right cheek for no reason. This is Eiji Kikumaru, a friend of Oishi's. He had been watching from the trapeze for a while when Ryoma and Yamato entered and wondered what they were talking to Oishi about.

"Oh sorry Eiji, did we disturb your practice?" Oishi called out from the ground. His friend on the trapeze shook his head. Then he playfully called out, "Look out below!"

Then to Yamato and Echizen's surprise, the boy lowered himself down so he'd hung from the bar. Then he swung back and forth on the trapeze a few times and let go of the bar. As he soared across the air, he flipped three times before he caught onto a set of rings like a professional acrobat. Since he was a little closer to the ground, Kikumaru again released and fell towards earth. As he fell, he gracefully did two back-flips in mid air and landed safely on the ground in front of Ryoma and Yamato without getting hurt. Kikumaru straightened himself and raised his hands in the air as a finish. "Hoi hoi!" he said boldly.

Impressed with the boy's acrobatics, Yamato's eyes widened from behind the sunglasses. "My, what excellent reflexes you have", he commented, "And who might you be?"

Kikumaru went to Oishi's side and patted his friend's shoulder. "I'm his partner", he answered proudly, "Anything you say to him, then I want to know as well."

"Partners huh?" said Ryoma.

Then Kikumaru showed a face of realization. "Now I remember where I've seen you from", he recalled looking at Ryoma, "You remember Oishi? The ones we saw on TV? They are the guys creating the ultimate tennis team."

"And you've heard right. Which is why we're here", said Yamato, who turned to Oishi, "How would you like to be a part of our team? You seem to possess the skills that are similar to Ryoma's here."

"Me?" Oishi pointed at himself in surprise.

"Eh? Oishi, an ultimate man?" said Kikumaru, surprised as Oishi is, "You mean Oishi is like some kind of superman?"

"Mm, something like that", Yamato did best to answer, "So what do you say Shuichiro?"

As he waited to a reply, Oishi looked at his friend, giving an unsure look in his eyes while Eiji shrugged his shoulders in response.

Finally Oishi answered,"Well actually, I'm kind of...undecided yet." He seemed to sound hesitant for some reason to Ryoma's suspicion.

Yamato then took out his wallet and took out a card. "Well if you happen to find your answer, this is my number", he said as he held out the card to Oishi. Shuichiro took the card and gave a small bow as Yamato and Ryoma departed without another word.

After they left, Oishi and Kikumaru stared at the contact card Yamato left for him. "So? What do you think Oishi?" asked Eiji.

"Gee Eiji, to be honest, I'm not sure", Oishi said truthfully, "What will they say if we tell them about...that?"

Eiji is concerned for his friend's tricky decision. But for now, he decided not to have worries bugging him and went back to his cheerful mood. "Ah let's not think about that now. You worry too much Oishi", he insisted, "Well, back to practice!"

Kikumaru then turned and returned to his training by running towards a spring platform and jumped off from it to leap into the air. He caught onto a horizontal bar and started swinging in a circle like a monkey and then hung from it upside down by his legs. His t-shirt soon slipped down and uncovered his front to reveal a surprising secret. What Yamato and Ryoma didn't realize before is that smack on the middle of his sweat covered chest is the same tennis ball shaped birthmark that Oishi has, symbolizing his role as another of Samurai Nanjiro's heirs.

* * *

><p>With Shuichiro Oishi on hold until he makes his decision, Ryoma focused now on getting Kawamura on their team first. He came to the decision to call Kawamura out for a private meeting on Yamabuki's tennis courts after practices.<p>

As told, Takashi came out onto the courts when he was done with practice for the day after receiving an anonymous text message that's signed, 'A Friend'. Curious, Takashi did as the message requested and is now waiting for the caller to appear.

Finally after a while of waiting, someone came onto the courts, wearing a white cap and carrying a tennis racket. Like Oishi and Kikumaru, Kawamura had also watched the news and recognized Ryoma's face as the one who is building up Team Seigaku. He obviously figured what Ryoma would want to talk to him about, but to make sure, he asked, "Are you the one who called me? And if so, what do you need to talk to me about?"

Ryoma bounced a ball up and down on his racket's net and stated, "I'm here to announce that you're a born Ultimate Tennis man. You're receiving an invite to join Team Seigaku."

At this awestrucking news, Takashi first had some doubts. "Me? An ultimate tennis man?" he said, pointing to himself. Then he showed some modesty. "I don't think so. I'm just a guy who everyone calls Home Run Boy", he confessed, "How can I be an ultimate tennis man is I can't control my shots?"

Surely, Takashi thought, a guy who couldn't control his own power on the court would never be a part of a superhuman tennis team.

"You do have a birthmark somewhere on you right?" Ryoma inquired, "I'm assuming that it's the shape of a tennis ball."

Takashi raised a hand and felt the back of his neck, wondering how Ryoma could've known that. "What's that got to do with that?" he asked. To show his answer, Ryoma raised his left arm and revealed Takashi his own birthmark, which of course surprised him to see the similar marks.

"This proves that we're connected by fate", the prince said, "But just so we're fair here, we're going to have a match. Singles. If I win, you have to join my team."

However Takashi wasn't really comfortable about this sudden change in his life, plus he was unsure whether playing a match against Ryoma was a good idea. "Um, I don't want to be rude, but I don't want to make a without getting my captain and my friend's permission first", Kawamura insisted but politely as he can, "And I have never really planned on leaving Yamabuki in the first place."

Getting annoyed by his excuses, Ryoma sighed as he turned his back to Kawamura. "Are you seriously that obligated to Jin Akutsu sempai?" he asked, "No offense, but I think he's creepy to hang around with."

"Jin isn't all like that", Kawamura stated to defend his position, "Besides, I owe a lot to Akutsu. He was the one who helped me get in this team in the first place."

"Seriously?"

Kawamura nodded firmly, "Akutsu helped me a lot in the past. He stuck up for me when we were little. Playing tennis with him and helping our school reach the Nationals is the one way I could thank him."

"Don't you get what opportunity you're getting here, Kawamura-sempai?" Ryoma encouraged, not giving up.

And so to convince Takashi, Ryoma decided to give the 9th grader a demonstration of their abnormal abilities. To do that, Ryoma stood on the other side of the court he and Kawamura are standing on and held a ball in his hand. Then facing Kawamura, he tossed up the ball and waited for it to come down at the right spot. Following that, Ryoma swung his racket and slammed the ball, shooting it to the other side like a bullet. The ball shot past Takashi with great speed and jammed itself right in the one of the gaps on the wiry fence behind him. Amazed at the boy's skills, Takashi stared at the stuck ball with stunned eyes. "What a serve.." he said quietly to himself. But he remembered his decision about not leaving Yamabuki.

"Look I'm sorry, but I'm not interested at the moment", he stated again, "You should go back home."

He then began to walk away before Echizen could say more. But he was stopped short when he felt a burning sensation from his neck. Before he could start wondering why it's hurting, Ryoma spoke, "So your birthmark is hurting too? Still having doubts about your future?"

Kawamura didn't say a word as he continued to feel the birthmark surging with strange power.

Finally Ryoma gave up and sighed, "Well, can't say that I didn't tried..." Not going further with persuading Kawamura again, Ryoma exited the courts and left him standing there with his thoughts.

* * *

><p>Turns out, there were more surprises ahead. Just when Ryoma thought they had just failed in getting one person to join their team, another problem came. The papers announced just that next day that Team Nagoya Seitaku, a winning team under Rikkai, is prepared to dazzle tennis fans with their new secret weapon. According to the team's coach, they have been keeping this secret weapon concealed for some time. Now, they plan to show the secret that'll defeat Rikkaidai in the Prefecture in just 14 days. After that, if makes it past the Quarter Finals, they'll move on to the Semi-Finals, where Rikkaidai will be playing.<p>

In response to this mysterious yet surprising news, Yamato had something to show Ryoma, something that he has just discovered after a day of investigating. So he held an important meeting in their hotel room.

"So, what's all this about?" asked Ryoma, unenthusiastic as usual as he slunked in his chair.

Yamato stood by the TV and placed a tape into the VCR before he took his seat beside Ryoma. "Took me a while, but I managed to figure out more about our new discoveries", said the coach. He then turned on the TV and with a remote, and played the recorded tape. On the screen is a view of a tennis courts. From the trees in the background, the courts must be located in a rural area away from civilization in the mountains.

"This is the secret training courts belonging to Team Nagoya Seitaku up in the mountain", Yamato explained as Ryoma watched, "Their policy is never allow visitors into the courts." The tennis courts were filled with members of Team Nagoya Seitaku, in the middle of practice. Nearly all of the members are foreigner exchange students while there's hardly much Japanese students present.

"And you're showing me another team's workout because?" Ryoma inquired.

"I want you to take a look at those two..."

Yamato pointed to a certain location on the screen for Ryoma to focus his eyes on. Ryoma is staring at the benches, where he could make out two figures sitting under the shade but he couldn't see their faces. But then the waiting was over when the two then made their way out into daylight. Once their faces were seen, Ryoma got a surprise that got him sitting up in his chair so suddenly at attention.

"What the-? Is that...?"

The ones Ryoma saw walking out was none other than Oishi...and Kikumaru, wearing the official black jerseys of Nagoya Seitaku.

The redhead was bending and crouching several times to stretch out his legs. His partner was bouncing a tennis ball against a wall to warm up. Echizen had never expected to see Kikumaru a part of the team as well. "Both of them are a doubles team..." he said, "They're Nagoya Seitaku's secret weapon huh? I guess that's why Oishi seemed hesitant to join us."

On the tape, the two partners ran out to the court to join the team's practice and took position on one side of the net.

"Shuichiro Oishi and Eiji Kikumaru, those two have been working as a doubles team since the 7th grade. Thus, they've developed a strong connection on the court and are called the Golden Pair", Yamato continued, "It was also a surprise to me that we seemed to have found our 3rd player."

To Ryoma's amazement, after Oishi on the tape just announced the ball's direction, Kikumaru suddenly jumped high into the air. Ryoma had never seen anyone jump so high before as Kikumaru then twisted and returned the ball with a back handed shot.

Next he watched Kikumaru dash after the ball that was served and successfully hit it back to the other side. Using the acrobatic skills they witnessed at the gym, Kikumaru did a one handed cartwheel and got back to his feet in time to hit and return every ball that comes in his way. The next shot came with a back flip, and then another high jump. For the next few returns, Kikumaru performed one amazing acrobatic technique after another.

"Just like a cat", Ryoma commented at Eiji's flexibility, "Manages to track down the ball in a second. With these kinds of reflexes, could he be...?"

Yamato answered with a nod.

"Yes...It's obviously clear that Kikumaru is also one of our nine. He is a serve and volley player with the sharpest vision than anyone I've ever seen, maybe even better than yours. Oishi's style is counter punch. His shots don't use much power as Kikumaru's does, but he has great accuracy. He may be the quiet, but he's the game master of the two, the only one to read Kikumaru's moves and make a strategy out of it. "

On the tape, it seemed that Oishi is able to communicate well with his partner without needing to speak much. Also like Yamato said, Oishi's returns and shots were accurate as he hit the ball on the baseline of his opponent's side using volleys.

Few seconds later, Ryoma asked, "What's with that weird stance?"

The Golden Pair was now taking a peculiar stance. Oishi stood on the rear and Kikumaru stood on the upper area close to the net, crouching low. What's unusual about this position is that the two are standing on the center line on the court, leaving their left and right sides open.

"They've got to be kidding. They're wide open", Ryoma first criticized.

"That's one of the pair's best technique's, the Australian Formation", Yamato explained as they watched the Golden Pair, "It is a difficult technique to master, but they are one of the few double teams to achieve it. It can be very useful in confusing the opponents."

As Yamato said this, the Golden Pair on the tape was now on the move. After a while of rallying, their opponents however were caught in a jam, unsure of where to hit the ball next. With Oishi and Kikumaru in their unusual stance, they could return the ball in any direction.

The Golden Pair's opponents tried to hit the ball on the opposite of where Kikumaru stands, but they were fooled since Oishi was right behind, ready to take the ball in whatever direction. It's as if Kikumaru and Oishi are fully in tuned with each other.

Ryoma now understood how the two had gained the name Golden Pair. Their form of playing is unreadable to win against.

Once the tape ended, Yamato spoke, "As far as we know, nobody, not even Rikkaidai, have managed to break through the Golden Pair's techniques."

Did that stop the prince of tennis? Absolutely not. For now, Ryoma stood up from his seat with a grin appearing on the edge of his mouth.

"Hmph, Golden Pair or not", the prince declared, "I'm just going to have to find a way to beat them. We only have a month until the Semi-Finals after all."

"In that case", Yamato then recommended, "we shall begin with special training."

* * *

><p>Two weeks later, Nagoya Seitaku went as they planned and revealed their secret weapon to all of Japan in the Regional Quarter Finals. All over the papers, radio and television, tennis fans witnessed the debut of the Golden Pair.<p>

"_This is the moment we've all been waiting for folks, the unveiling of Team Nagoya Seitaku's secret weapon that they claim that'll take them to the Semi-Finals!"_

"_Incredible! Kikumaru manages to catch the ball in midair! What amazing acrobatics! Now the ball's returning to side, and it's hit back towards_

_"Oishi has prepared for a surprise attack in the rear! He's hit the ball directly on the base! It's a point!"_

Announcers and commentators streamed in nonstop quotes and reports throughout the game.

During Team Yamabuki's practice, a small TV was set on the bench near the court where the team was training on. Kiyosumi Sengoku, Kentaro Minami and Jin Akutsu have paused to stop and view the game when they heard the commentator speaking about the Golden Pair.

Kawamura then left the courts to be alone for a bit, under the eyes of Akutsu, who noticed his teammate's hesitant behavior. "_Kawamura, what exactly are you thinking now?_" he thought.

* * *

><p>At the same time, another team was watching the game of the Golden Pair's debut, their destined rivals, Rikkaidai.<p>

In the tennis club's meeting room, Sanada and Yukimura watched carefully at the Golden Pair playing as professionals against their opponents on the TV. Such style, technique and teamwork was never seen before in the history of doubles.

"_What a remarkable pair! We've witnessed the unbelievable tactics of Eiji Kikumaru and Shuichiro Oishi! They truly are the Golden Pair!" _the announcer spoke, "_Thanks to them, Team Nagoya Seitaku will now enter the Semi-Finals! Don't miss this breathtaking match as they go on to challenge one of the top 3 junior high teams for the chance to enter the Nationals!_"

As the Golden Pair on the TV high fived each other for their victory, Yukimura had a strong hunch in his mind. "These two...Could they be another of Samurai Nanjiro's descendants?" the captain supposed.

Beside him, Sanada replied, "Maybe...But we'll find out when we face them in the Semi-Finals."

"...Now that would be fascinating", Yukimura replied with a small smile.

* * *

><p><strong>1 Month Later<strong>

Team Nagoya Seitaku's revealing of the Golden Pair granted them the victory to move on to the Regional Semi-Finals as they planned to. If they beat the opposing team in the 1st round, then Nagoya would confront against Rikkaidai.

The stadium in Kanto was full of spectators, mostly fans of Rikkaidai yet among them fans of the Golden Pair.

On the speakers in the stadium, the commentator spoke, "_Team Nagoya Seitaku's secret weapon, the Golden Pair of Kikumaru and Oishi have stunned the audiences during the Regional Quarter-Finals. Now with Nagoya Seitaku making it into the Semi-Finals, will the Golden prove victory again for their team? We shall see in today's match."_

The opening ceremony then proceeded as the top four teams entered the stadium in their respective team colors and stood in lines.

In the 1st round, Nagoya Seitaku was paired up against Rokkaku. If Nagoya manages to beat this team, they'll move on to face Rikkaidai in the second round. Fortunately for Nagoya, they had their secret weapon.

Nobody could explain how it's possible, but the Golden Pair's victory in Doubles 1 won their team the chance and made it through the 1st round.

Somewhat a few hours later, round 2 of the tournament was ready to begin.

"It is now the start of the 2nd round", the commentator announced over the speakers and mic, "Team Nagoya Seitaku has successfully won the qualification round to face the National champion Team Rikkaidai in the suspenseful match of the day! Now, it's time for the match you've all been waiting for, the Doubles 1 match!"

Of course who else would Nagoya Seitaku send to play in this match than the Golden Pair themselves? The spectators' eyes were on the passageway entrance on Nagoya's side and saw Kikumaru and Oishi walking out into sight.

"There they are!"

"It's the Golden Pair!"

As the fans continued to cheer them, Kikumaru took the chance to wave and smile at them as he and Oishi walked towards the court. "I guess we're famou now Oishi", he said happily.

"Doubles 1 match! Nagoya Seitaku's Kikumaru and Oishi versus Rikkaidai's Kiriyama and Yuki!"

The Golden Pair shook hands with Rikkai's doubles team and took their spots on the court. Finally the game was set to begin.

Oishi was the one who's serving first. So he bounced a ball in his hand several times and tossed it up. Once he swung and hit the ball towards the other side. Their opponents saw the ball coming and one of them met it and returned it easily. Of course Kikumaru found the ball and leaped to the side with his acrobatic play, returning the ball.

"Oh yeah?" Yuki muttered under his breath, "See if you can catch this!" With a hard swing, he sent the ball in the air, a high volley.

But that didn't stop the Golden Pair. "Sorry to upset you Rikkai fans", Eiji called out to the audience, "But this is where the Golden Pair comes in!"

As he leaped in the air, he shouted his signature move, "Hoi hoi! Kikumaru Beam!" And he twisted his body and did a backhand smash, sending the ball directly onto an open spot on Rikkai's side.

"15-love!"

After landing on the ground, Kikumaru faced his opponents and gave a playful smile. "Too bad, so sad! See you next week!"

The match then continued as the Golden Pair earned themselves more points thanks to Kikumaru's acrobatics and Oishi's defense. Pretty soon the score was at 30-40 at the 3rd game.

Now during this game, Kikumaru had just returned another shot with a cartwheel. Kiriyama then used his chance to prepare a slice. "We got this one! Bet you can't catch this Kikumaru!" he proclaimed. He then whacked the ball and sent it shooting towards Kikumaru himself, right at the face. The crowd was at suspense, fearing that the ball would hit Kikumaru's face at such speed.

But at the last moment, Kikumaru gave a sly grin and ducked leaving the ball open for Oishi behind him as it flew over his head. This surprised their opponents, for they were unprepared and had forgotten that Oishi was right there. "Got you!" Kikumaru teased. Now taking the ball for himself, Oishi dragged his racket along the ground, scraping the tip and swung it up to create his favorite move.

"Moon Volley!"

Oishi's best signature move, the Moon Volley, had the ball soar high up over the Rikkai doubles' heads and landed right on the baseline in the rear before Rikkaidai could catch it.

"Game to Nagoya Seitaku! 1 game to love!" the referee called out. The Golden Pair went to each other and did a high five.

"This is now break point! The game will resume in 10 minutes!" an announcement was made. Now Yuki and Kiriyama took this chance and headed out back to their locker room in order to freshen up for the next half.

Before Kikumaru and Oishi departed, Kikumaru took this chance to again wave to the audience and receive their praises. "Thank you!" he called out to his new fans.

In the audience, Yamato had come to watch the game. He witnessed the Golden Pair's amazing tactics up close with pleasure. "Rikkaidai's got a bit of a taste at the ultimate team's abilities", he said to himself. Then someone stepped down the steps and came up to the row where Yamato is sitting. Before the person could speak, Yamato

"So you decided to come after all", he said pleasantly, "I saved you a spot." He then moved his sweater that was lying on the empty seat next to him and motioned the newcomer to take the seat.

Sitting down is Takashi Kawamura, who had come either on Yamato's request, or maybe on his own free will. Either way, he was curious to know more about his fellow ultimate men. "Watch carefully Takashi", Yamato insisted, "You're going to witness an incredible battle between superhuman tennis players." Takashi looked at the man with curiosity.

"Between Rikkaidai and Nagoya Seitaku?" he pointed out, "But...Rikkai doesn't have any super players on their team from all I know."

"Ah...I didn't say one of them is from Rikkai."

Yamato had another sly grin on his face when he said this, causing Takashi to wonder what he meant.

* * *

><p>From inside the lockerwashroom of Team Rikkaidai, the voice of the announcer is heard through the speakers.

"Doubles 1 match will now resume. All players return to the court immediately."

Turns out, a certain someone has succeeded in getting himself into the tournament unnoticed. Wearing a yellow Rikkai jersey he 'borrowed', Ryoma put on a different colored cap on that is navy blue, and picked up his racket, now perfectly blending into Team Rikkaidai.

"Time to show them what I've got", he said to himself.

* * *

><p>Back out in the stadium, everyone was awaiting for the Golden Pair and Rikkaidai's team to return from their break. So far Kikumaru and Oishi were back on the court, waiting for their opponents. Finally the suspense was over as a figure emerged from Rikkaidai's passageway with his cap covering his eyes.<p>

"It's about time Kiriyama", Kirihara spoke, "Now go beat those pair." All he got was a nod from their player.

As 'Kiriyama' walked towards the court, Sanada came passing by, heading back to the benches. But it was right when he bumped into the incoming player that Sanada paused in his spot and looked at the back of the boy walking away. It was as he felt something was different about 'Kiriyama'. But then he thought it was just his mind and let it go.

However, his suspicions were correct when nobody saw Rikkai's second player enter after 'Kiriyama'. "Wait, where's Yuki?" Nio mentioned.

"You think something happened to him?"

"Someone go check the washroom."

After sending one of their own to check on Yuki, the Regulars then noticed an immediate difference with the player standing on the court representing Rikkai.

"Why is Kiriyama holding the racket with his left hand?" Hiroshi Yagyu mentioned aloud, "He isn't left handed."

Suddenly the team member that has been sent to the washroom returned to them with a troubled look. "Kiriyama and Yuki are knocked out in the shower room!" he told his teammates.

The jig was up. Immediately Rikkaidai knew that they have an imposter on their team.

Some wanted to interfere and take their unexpected intruder out of the game, but they were halted when Yukimura held out an arm to block their way while standing calmly in his spot.

"Captain?"

"Hold on", Yukimura insisted, "Aren't you all curious as well to see if he can defeat the Golden Pair?"

It seems that Co-Captain Sanada was also interested as well and did nothing to respect his captain's wishes. Still he asked, "You really think that Echizen can do it Yukimura?"

"I guess he should have talent if he is brave enough to appear in the Semi-Finals personally."

The fake Kiriyama, or should I now say Ryoma, now knew that his identity has been discovered. But he didn't mind.

From the moment they realized that Ryoma had snuck into their game, they were instantly prepared. They didn't seem to be too surprised when they recognized the child prodigy standing on the other side in place of their previous opponents. "Well looky who's here", said a pleased Kikumaru with his racket slung over his shoulder, "Just as we expected."

His partner nodded. But then he gave a flinch for a moment from a strange pain coming from his shoulder.

"Eiji..." he started.

"It hurts too huh?" Kikumaru said without looking at Oishi. He had a hand placed over his chest. They were referring to the pain they're receiving from their birthmarks that started right when Ryoma stepped on the court.

When Takashi saw Ryoma from where he's sitting, he sat up with a start. "Wh-What is he doing?" he asked Yamato, "To appear in the middle of the Semi-Finals like that?"

"Oh Ryoma's got more surprises than you could ever imagine", Yamato assured, "You'll see..."

...

On the court, Kikumaru first called out, "Hey little guy are you okay with this? Two against one seems a bit too much don't you think?"

"You've got nothing to worry about", Ryoma assured, tipping his cap, "Remember, we got only one game to decide."

To his partner, Kikumaru sighed, "Well, I tried to warn him." Nevertheless, he and Oishi took their positions in the Australian Formation and were ready.

"You're going to witness Kikumaru-sama's magnificent acrobatics!" Kikumaru bragged, "Be sure to watch carefully!"

Ryoma tossed up a ball and served using his famous Twist Serve. With the extra momentum, the ball curved and was heading towards the rear but using his sharp eyes, Kikumaru tracked down the ball and ran in front of the ball to return it with a forehand. "Nice try Kiddo, but you'll have to do better to get past me!"

The ball headed back to Ryoma, who now sent it back with a regular hit, aiming for the side where Kikumaru isn't standing on. But Eiji wasn't worried one bit. He know that his partner is already on the move.

"That's right Oishi. Show him your signature move", said Kikumaru with a grin.

Ryoma watched Oishi as he dragged the tip of his racket across the ground and performed his Moon Volley that sent the ball flying over his head and landing at the basline.

"15-love!"

Witnessing the Golden Pair's unbeatable strategy close up, Ryoma looked at the Golden Pair, who are bumping their fists together. "We're just getting started", said Kikumaru with a small chuckle.

As the game continued for the next few minutes, it soon came to a 40-40 score. Whoever gets the next point would win the game. By now, Ryoma has sweat running down his brow from running too much, hence he is outnumbered in this game. On the other side, Kikumaru and Oishi predicted their win to be close. "Let's face it, the guy doesn't stand a chance in a doubles to 1 match against us", said a confident Kikumaru, twirling his racket on his wrist.

On the other side, Ryoma started to think of a plan in order to win the game. He then thought back and remembered what he learned from his special training...

* * *

><p><em>After Yamato showed Ryoma everything about the Golden Pair's strengths one month ago, it was time for special training. So the coach took Ryoma to a certain place where the training will take place.<em>

_Turns out, that place was a shooting gallery (think arcade-like). The two in front of one arena that has targets moving in all sorts of directions.  
><em>

_Yamato stood in front of the target area and started to explain the course of the training._ "_Alright then, if you want to beat the Golden Pair at their own game, you need to find a way to break through their strategy. You see this here?" He pointed behind himself so Ryoma could see the moving targets.  
><em>

_"This whole area here shows the Golden Pair's territory, meaning that they can spot and return almost any shot you hit on their side. Your goal: hit a ball that'll pass their territory and get a point."_

"_You talk too much as usual Coach", said Ryoma, tired of waiting any longer, "Just serve and I'll deal with the rest."_

_Ready to start, Yamato then tossed and served the boy a ball. As the ball was heading towards him, Ryoma prepared himself and decided to use his strongest forehand hit he's got and whacked the ball to the opposite direction. The ball flew into the target arena but unfortunately Ryoma's timing was off, for the ball hit one of the targets as it moved in front of the open spot on the ground where it was supposed to hit._

_This was going to be more difficult than Ryoma had thought.  
><em>

"_It looks like you're going have to hit at a spot where the Golden Pair would most likely miss", Yamato suggested, "It's not going to be easy." This didn't stop Ryoma though, who's always up or a challenge. "Well then better keep going", he insisted, waiting his coach to serve him another ball._

_...  
><em>

_Hours later, Ryoma had no luck in achieving a new move that could defeat the Golden Pair. It came to the point where he finally grew exhausted that he had to drop his racket. His left hand was sore all over from holding the racket too much that the skin nearly was worn off and turning red.  
><em>

"_Why can't I get one ball to go in?" he asked himself in discontent. He sank to his knees and nearly punched the floor.  
><em>

_Yamato approached the boy, shaking his head._ "_My my...Quitting so soon?" he inquired, using his coach motivational attitude, "I thought you're one of Nanjiro Echizen's heirs. Not just his heir, his own son. Now I suggest you try it again."_

_Remembering their goal to become the number 1 tennis team, Ryoma gained the confidence to get back on his feet and grab his racket. "I'm...I'm ready", he panted.  
><em>

_Before Ryoma resumed to his training, something fascinating captured his eyes. Up in the night sky, he saw several stars shooting across the sky. Yamato too was stunned at this sight as the two took time to observe. "...It's not everyday you get to see shooting stars on a clear night as this", the coach remarked._

_Ryoma took time and tried to spot each and every star falling. But soon after counting to four of them, Ryoma's vision started to blur as he began to see 6 stars instead of one. Annoyed by his straining eyes, Ryoma reached up and rubbed his eyes with his wrist. He muttered, "Darn...This vision of mine had to be so good I can nearly see-."  
><em>

_Suddenly he stopped in the middle of his sentence and opened his eyes that show realization. It was right at that moment, Ryoma knew that he just received an epiphany that just struck him._

_Chuckling at his lack of intelligence from before, Ryoma looked at Yamato and stated, "If you say Kikumaru has the same excellent eyesight like me...then I think I may know a weakness. I'll just have to take their advantage as their weakness."_

_Pleased, Yamato responded by smiling proudly at Ryoma's perseverance and tossed a new ball in his hand.  
><em>

_"Shall we resume then?"_

* * *

><p>Done reminiscing, Ryoma came back to the present, this time with the perfect plan in mind. And at the right time too, for now Oishi had began another serve towards Ryoma. Ryoma responded by hitting a return that's aimed for the center. But as always, Kikumaru was there to block it. He did a backswing and swung a hard backhand.<p>

"Kikumaru Beam!"

Kikumaru's slam shot towards an empty spot on the opposite side of the net, but Ryoma moved into position right where the ball was going to hit.

"...I don't think so", the prince spoke under his breath.

And to the Golden Pair's surprise, Ryoma used a backhand to perform what looks like a perfect imitation of the Kikumaru Beam. "What? He copied Eiji's signature move?" Oishi thought, puzzled. Ryoma's shot didn't made a smash, but instead made the ball shoot high above their heads. "Eiji!" Oishi shouted to give his partner a heads up.

"No problem!"

With his acrobatic agility, Kikumaru had a running start and leaped up in the air to catch up to the ball. "Ha! Too easy!" he bragged as the ball came near his reach.

But at that moment, Eiji got a surprise. One second he saw a single ball, but then for no reason, he could've sworn he saw the ball split into a bunch of identical balls heading his way.

"Huh? Wait! There must be at least 5, 6- no 8 balls!" he said with panic.

Lost and confused, Kikumaru immediately went with his instincts and chose to hit the first random ball he saw as they got closer.

"It's this one!"

He swung and expected to feel the ball vibrate against his racket and bounce off, but for some reason, he didn't feel anything. The ball he thought he was real was only an illusion as it disappeared into thin air, leaving Kikumaru lost and confused. "Huh? An illusion?"

When he landed on the ground safely, Oishi ran over and called out, "Eiji, did you hit it?" To make sure, Kikumaru looked all over the court. He even looked on Ryoma's side but he found no ball in sight. After rubbing his eyes and looking around again but found no ball, he was confused. "Huh? Where is it?" Kikumaru wondered aloud.

"You might want to check over there", Ryoma suggested as he pointed behind the Golden Pair.

Kikumaru and Oishi turned around and immediately spotted the real ball jammed into the fence at least 3 feet over their heads.

"Hey! He tricked me!" Kikumaru complained, having his title for having the sharpest eyes down the drain.

It took a while, but Oishi managed to figure out what just happened. _"I see...He figured out that Eiji has the sharpest vision_", he thought, "_He used this as an advantage for a weak spot and somehow hit the ball hard so that it vibrates, and creates an illusion. That's why Eiji thought he saw more than one ball_."

From the audience, Yamato nodded, also aware of Ryoma's clever strategy. "Well done Ryoma", he said to himself, "By allowing the ball to hit the bottom of the racket's net, it caused the ball to vibrate faster. Thus, able to mess with Kikumaru's sharp vision. Now I couldn't have done it better myself..."

Then Yamato got up and started to head down onto the courts himself, leaving Kawamura by himself, wondering where he's going.

* * *

><p>On the court, Ryoma removed the Rikkaidai jersey he's wearing and revealed another new jersey that he wore underneath. It is blue and white and has the word 'Seigaku' stitched on the front. This is the official jersey of Team Seigaku. He also switched caps to his usual white one.<p>

Kikumaru and Oishi went out to meet Ryoma on the center of the court to admit their defeat. Instead of being upset, they had relaxed smiles for they were impressed by Ryoma's quick thinking.

"You really got me there kiddo. But of course, a deal's a deal", Kikumaru stated with ease, "Guess we're joining your team as promised."

This was pleasing news to Ryoma as he nodded back. But at this, the Golden Pair's coach came out onto the court to stop them. "Just a minute there! What are you talking about? Who said you two can leave?" he said strictly to the duo.

To answer his question, Oishi took out from his pocket a folded letter that he and Eiji received earlier before the game. He held it out for their coach to take and read with his own eyes.

"'_I, Ryoma Echizen, challenge you to a game. If I win in today's match, you two will join Team Seigaku. If you win, then I'll join Team Nagoya Seitaku.'"_

The coach looked at the Golden Pair and said in frustration, "How could you decide this without my decision?"

Kikumaru shrugged his shoulders in response. "Sorry Coach. But they seem to be more interesting to play with. Too bad, so sad, see you next week", he said playfully. "We hope you would understand our decision Coach and forgive us", Oishi requested as he bowed to their now ex-coach to show manners.

Irked but outsmarted by his own players, the coach stomped off in disappointment back to his team.

Yamato then entered the courts with something in his hands as he came up to the boys. "Well, then you're going to need these from now on", he said to the Golden Pair.

And with that, the coach proudly presented two blue and white jerseys with Seigaku written on the back just like Ryoma's and placed them onto Oishi and Kikumaru's backs. "Welcome to the team", the coach proudly as he patted the pair's shoulders.

Excited to have a new jersey, Kikumaru immediately removed his Nagoya Seitaku jersey in haste and slipped on the Seigaku jersey to replace it while Oishi followed. As he viewed himself and Oishi in their new uniform, Eiji had an impressed expression. "Not bad. Not bad at all", he commented. Oishi

"That's just you Eiji. You're excited when it comes to the jerseys", he said.

"Oh but it's going to get more excited after this..." Yamato assured with a gleam in his eyes.

He then stepped out onto the center of the court so he could let the audience see him clearly in view. With the whole region of Japan watching from the stands and on TV, he now commenced with an important speech. "Attention to all tennis fans", he spoke in a bold voice, "Today, a new tennis team will be established, a team that will create a new record in the history of tennis."

The crowd were astonished by this out of the blue news and listened further.

Yamato continued, "As you all know, Japan once had a famed legend in tennis, Nanjiro Echizen, also who we know as Samurai Nanjiro. He became famous and a hero for participating in the US Open in America, representing Japan for five times. But it was just before his unexpected death that Samurai Nanjiro had a dream. His dream was to create a superhuman team of nine youths who will defeat the American tennis team in the US Open.  
>"I'm here today to announce that after 14 years, Nanjiro Echizen's dream is finally about to be fulfilled. These superhuman young men are these boys you see here, they are Samurai Nanjiro's chosen heirs by fate. This team that I created on behalf of Nanjiro Echizen is now called...Team Seigaku!"<p>

At the end of his stunning speech, the crowd cheered as Ryoma and his two new teammates stood tall and proud to their new fans.

Captain Yukimura and Sanada watched as many of their team's fans now cheered for this new team. "All because of Samurai Nanjiro's unaccomplished dream...a new team is born", said Sanada. Yukimura gave an impressed grin. "Who knows? Perhaps this team will break a new record in tennis", he predicted.

Then to Rikkai, Yamato spoke, "Enjoy your glory days for now Rikkai. But in a matter of time, Team Seigaku will be the ones to take the title as Japanese National Tournament champions."

Kikumaru held out two fingers with a proud grin. "V for victory!" he proclaimed.

The crowd cheered and applauded this spectacular news as cameras from the media were gathering and taking photos of Team Seigaku.

* * *

><p>Now someone outside of both teams has also been watching the game the whole time. He had noticed Kawamura watching in the stands as well and has a hunch on what Kawamura's decision is for his future judging from Takashi's longing look on his face as he stared at Ryoma and the others. Not wanting to be involved with Kawamura's decision, Akutsu had exited the stadium early so he can leave without anyone knowing. However as he walked down the empty hallway towards the stadium's exit, he heard a familiar voice.<p>

"Akutsu."

Akutsu stopped and turned around to find someone walking out from another direction. It was Kawamura, suited up in his uniform, ready for tennis practice.

Immediately Akutsu has a hunch on what Takashi might be saying next. "What do you want here Takashi?" he said without looking at him.

"Um...can you practice with me from here on?" Kawamura requested, "I want to get better at tennis." He sounded hesitant when he said this. Akutsu however was surprised that Takashi isn't showing what his true thoughts are.

"...Why are you holding back Kawamura? Can't you see that your abilities have already caught my attention? You really belong with others with your level of strength."

"But Jin..."

"Man up Takashi!" Akutsu spoke like a general, "For once have confidence in your abilities. You make yourself look weak when you say you're no good when you are. It's obvious that you should go with Seigaku."

Before Kawamura could say any more, Akutsu began to walk towards the exit. As he walked, Akutsu spoke with his back to Takashi, "You better show me you're strong enough to take down Rikkaidai Takashi. Otherwise...you'll be a disgrace to one who once played for Yamabuki. Now get going and get to the Nationals if you want to please me."

Kawamura was touched and surprised that his old friend had just given his approval to allow him to follow his destiny.

He then called out to Akutsu from where he stood, "Jin! I promise that I'll beat Rikkai! And afterwards, I'll be able to beat you in a fair game someday! It'll be the only way I can repay you for all your kindness to me! I won't let you down!" With that, he ended by bowing his head as a sign of respect.

With his back still facing Kawamura, Akutsu had a hidden smirk on his face after hearing his old friend's declaration. "You had better..." he said to himself.

Once Akutsu was gone, Takashi heard a voice from behind him saying, "Must be difficult for you to say that to a guy like him". Kawamura turned around and found Ryoma and the newly recruited Golden Pair standing behind him, awaiting for his decision.

Kawamura felt a little embarrassed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Don't say that", he said with a groan, "It makes me uncomfortable now that I think about it."

Kikumaru went up and patted their new member's shoulder with a caring smile. "Don't mind! Don't mind!" he encouraged.

Takashi then felt something placed on his back and turned to see that Coach Yamato had placed another Seigaku jersey on him. "Good to have you Kawamura", the coach said.

"...I won't let you down sir", Kawamura declared as he bowed to his new coach. Excited that they have gained another teammate, Eiji threw his arms around Oishi and Kawamura's necks and ushered the group to gather around in a team huddle. "Well alright! Let's all get along together 'kay?" the acrobat said happily, "All for one and one for all!" His teammates replied with friendly smiles eager nods.

"Now, it's time we find the five remaining members of our team", said Yamato, "Only then can we be ready to fight Rikkai, and then the Americans."

Yamato then held out his hand in the center of the circle and motioned the others to join. Ryoma and the other boys placed their hands on each other's to form their new bond.

"Seigaku!" Yamato first cried out.

"Fight!" the boys finished as their hands broke free.

And thus, on that day, a new team has just formed under the wishes of Nanjiro Echizen. Now they will start on their journey to the Nationals, and soon, the US Open.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Note:<span>** 4 boys down, 5 to go! How'd you guys like it so far? Sorry that it's waay too long and that my words are jumbled up. Next chapter will be shorter though. I've never done a sports fanfic before and I'm trying to learn all the tennis terms, rules and events. Review please!

Just in case you were wondering, the two Rikkai doubles players who was supposed to play, until Echizen snuck in, against Oishi and Kikumaru, their names are actually the names of the actors who played Bunta and Jackal in the Tenimyu musicals.

**Want to Know A Fun Fact? : **In Astro Kyudan, the one Kikumaru is playing as is in this story is Akechi Kyushichi (Astro 7). They're both acrobatic players so I thought Eiji fits the role perfectly cause they both are cheerful guys who are mood makers in their teams.

And here's someting interesting, in the live action drama of Astro Kyudan, the one who plays Kyushichi is none other than Nagayama Takashi, who you may know as the 1st Kikumaru Eiji from Tenimyu! How about that? He is awesome playing as Kyushichi as well as Eiji that I sort of thought they were the same character. XD

Next time, see who Team Seigaku will find next in ch. 3!


	3. The Genius & the Trickster

Sorry that this is shorter than the previous chapter! Now just to say this early, I'm writing down the names in this story by western order (given name first, then family name).

But first, thank you so much for your comments **Moonhera** and **KisunaFuji**! I was almost afraid that nobody liked my story. T^T (tears of joy!)

I don't own any characters in Prince of Tennis!

On to the story: Team Seigaku has gained three members. Who will their next member(s) be?

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 3 – Search For The Ultimate Players<span>  
><strong>

On one night in Tokyo, everyone is asleep in one particular neighborhood. All but one coming from a family home.

The eldest son of the family, who is 13 years old, an 8th grader and has black hair spiked up, quietly tiptoed down the stairs from his room. He had to make sure that he doesn't wake anyone in his family up.

In his hand, he carries a tennis bag in which he packed several of his clothes and belongings for a trip. Now after reaching the bottom of the stairs, the boy made a quick trip into the kitchen so he could stash some extra snacks into his tennis bag for the journey. After that's done, he took out from the bag a rolled up page from a newspaper that he had saved from the other day. He looked down and stared at the front page article.

The headline read: '**Team Seigaku Has Been Established! Are These Youths Samurai Nanjiro's Heirs?'**

On the cover is a picture of the four current boys who have been selected into the team with their coach. After viewing the article for a long time, the boy then made his decision.

"I'm ready", he told himself firmly. He then rolled the newspaper up and tucked it into his pocket to hold onto. After turning off all the lights, he picked up his tennis bag and grabbed his blue tennis racket as he headed out the door.

Closing the door quietly behind him, walked to the front of his house and stopped. He took this last chance to look up at his home to say goodbye. Bowing his head, he whispered, "Sorry guys. But this is a chance that I don't want to miss." And with that, the boy hopped onto his bike that's parked right by the house gate and pedaled off into the night without looking back.

* * *

><p>So far, Ryoma and Coach Yamato have succeeded in gathering three members on their team, Takashi Kawamura, Eiji Kikumaru and his partner Shuichiro Oishi. After the new members joined, Yamato have obtained information concerning a new recruit who might be their next man. The four boys followed Yamato's instructions and ended up taking a trip to Chiba.<p>

A photograph gallery exhibition was being held on that day for, surprisingly, a junior high student in front of Chiba's art museum. A huge crowd gathered outside, where a stage was set displaying the still shot photos of the artist, who is standing in front of them.

Shusuke Fuji is 14 years old and in the 9th grade. He keeps his eyes closed, but his smile makes it up for the better.

A majority of the crowd were actually girls and even women who are fans of Fuji and continuously took pictures or called out his name.

"So cute!" the girls squealed with delight.

"Fuji! Over here!"

"Shusuke!"

To respond, Fuji faced the audience and waved elegantly like a prince, which was followed by loving sighs from the girls.

Now a reporter spoke to start the Q and A session, "Shusuke Fuji, how does it feel to be hosting your very own art exhibition, something that no other junior high student would ever accomplish before?"

Fuji looked modest as he bravely spoke, "Well, I'm kind of flattered. But thankfully I have the support and encouragement I get from my peers. That, I'm most grateful for." He ended this sentence with an honest smile, which triggered all the girls to shriek and yell some more.

Somewhere at a good distance away from the crowd, Ryoma and his current teammates were watching the exhibition taking place by a tree. Ryoma, Takashi and Shuichiro were leaning against the front and sides of the trunk while Eiji took a seat on the tree's strongest branch over the boys' heads, all with their eyes on Fuji.

"Shusuke Fuji. He's known as a genius in these parts", said Ryoma, remembering what Yamato had told them earlier before they left Tokyo.

"And he's a big major in photography and plant care as Coach says", Kawamura included.

"He's popular with the ladies isn't he?" said Oishi, being slightly impressed.

Kikumaru watched Fuji with envy. "Boy...what a lucky guy", he sighed, "With all those people around him, we'll never get the chance to speak to him."

After he said this, Kikumaru got a surprise when he saw Ryoma willingly walk away from his teammates and towards the crowd without a word.

"Hey, what's he doing?" asked Kikumaru curiously, sitting up in his seat.

His friends only shrugged their shoulders as they watched Ryoma stepping past the crowd. It didn't take too long before one or two of the people in the audience noticed Ryoma and recognized him from the recent news. "Look! It's a Team Seigaku player!" one reporter called out. Now all of the reporters' attention was set on Ryoma as the boy approached the front to confront Fuji.

The prince and the genius looked face to face for a while, two strangers who never met before.

"Shusuke Fuji, have you ever played tennis before?" Ryoma asked the brown haired boy.

Fuji looked at Ryoma calmly, showing good first impressions. "Well I can't say that I've been playing tennis for some time now", he stated, "I much prefer playing a quiet and peaceful game of billiards. So I'm sad to say that I'm declining your invitation."

It seemed that Fuji had a clear idea of who Ryoma is and what he wants from him already and was being polite to decline. Finishing his statement, Fuji then stepped off the stage and walked off, much to the fangirls' dismay. However this wasn't enough to convince Ryoma. He then went to one of the reporters beside him and asked, "Can I borrow this?"

Not waiting for an answer from the reporter, Ryoma took the reporter's pen from his pocket and threw it straight ahead like a dart, attempting to hit Fuji's head with his back at him.

Several of the bystanders gasped, worried that Fuji might get hurt.

But to everyone's amazement, right before the tip of the pen barely even reached his head, Fuji had tilted his head slightly to the right at the last minute, safely avoiding the pen as it stabbed into an advertising sign instead. Unharmed, Fuji walked away, leaving Ryoma and the other boys amazed.

"Whoa..." said a stunned Eiji with his jaw hung open, "He didn't even open his eyes."

"It's like if he has eyes on the back of his head", Takashi included.

His friends nodded in agreement.

* * *

><p>With no luck getting Fuji's participation into the team, the boys decided to move on to other things. The team went to a nearby restaurant to have lunch and come up with another plan.<p>

"Obviously for a guy like Fuji, he's definitely a good addition to the team", said Ryoma in yearning, "With his genius thinking, we could show Rikkaidai what we're made of."

"Well maybe he'll change his mind eventually once he realizes his abilities", Kawamura suggested.

Now Kikumaru was eating quickly instead of joining the conversation. Then he realized that he has just finished his bowl of food and looked at the empty bowlwith small disappointment. Then to Oishi, with an innocent kid's face, he said, "Oishi, you think I can order another bowl?"

After seeing his cute and innocent face, Oishi chuckled, "You don't need to ask me Eiji. Just order anything you want."

Immediately Eiji called out to the cook, "Excuse me! Another bowl of fried shrimp please!"

"Coming right up!" was the reply.

Soon after the waitress placed a new bowl of fried shrimp with rice in front of him, Kikumaru happily dug in and ate in haste. "Hey Eiji, chew slowly", Oishi said in concern as a parent would, "You might choke."

"You know Shuichiro, you seem to act more like a mother to Eiji than just a partner", Kawamura mentioned with a small smile on the corner of his mouth. Ryoma almost choked on his food, hiding his snicker at the thought of it. At this comment, Oishi showed signs of embarrassment. "Huh? Me?" he said nervously, "I'm not like that am I?" "Of course he does", Kikumaru spoke through his stuffed mouth, "I'd be nowhere without Oishi being there for me."

Now Ryoma was trying to watch a tennis game playing on the sports channel from the TV set in a corner. A game was playing at the moment but none of the boys can hear the commentating of the game.

"Why can't I hear anything?" Ryoma moaned. He was eager to know what's going on.

Needing to make sure, Kawamura called out to the waitress, who happened to be the restaurant owner's wife. "Excuse me miss, but I think your television is broken", he said politely.

The waitress looked puzzled as she looked at the TV. "Really? That can't be possible. We just bought that TV just last week. Nothing should be wrong with it", she stated. And before the boys could ask her again, she was off to check on another table that's calling her.

Finally Kikumaru decided to see if he can solve the problem himself and got up saying, "If you want to get things done, you've got to do it yourself."

He went up to the TV and tried to turn the volume up. But even as he put the volume higher, there was still no sound. Kikumaru inspected the TV more closely until his eyes found a set of headphones that's plugged into the TV lying on the side, which answers everything. "Oh no wonder why. Someone was using headphones to listen for himself", he chuckled to himself.

Seeing the problem, Kikumaru pulled out the headphone cord and the sound resumed coming out from the speakers. "Much better", said a satisfied Kikumaru as he returned to his seat and to his meal. Now the boys can hear the commentator clearly giving the play-by-play.

"_Team Josei Shonan is in the lead with 2 games won and the score at 50-30_..._"_

They watched a player from Team Josei Shonan earning their team another point by running and doing a drop shot. Ryoma quickly soon grow bored. "We can't even tell which team is at Nationals level", he moaned.

All of them were getting back to eating when at that moment, something new happened in the middle of the commentator's report.

The commentator had suddenly changed the middle of his report with something new.

"_Wait what's this?...I don't believe it! A spectator from the audience has suddenly entered the court with a racket!_"

From that last announcement, all of the boys' heads looked up, all eyes on the screen. To their amazement, the cameras were focusing on one boy standing on the opposite end with his own racket as the commentator announced. All they can see if a boy a year younger than the 9th graders and has black hair spiked up. He was wearing an ordinary yellow t-shirt and blue jogging pants and holding a racket of his own. Now Josei Shonan's player had returned a ball that the boy had just hit back with a lob.

It looked like it would be hard to reach, but to the boys' amazement, the mysterious boy then jumped high as Kikumaru does from the ground and brought his racket slamming on the ball, ending with it smash dunk that hit near the baseline. The way the boy had used the dunk was intense and looked as if he has a lot of power in his legs and arms.

"_It's a hit! What a dunk! This stranger from out of nowhere wins a point in just a few seconds! Who is this person?_"

"Did you just see that?" said a stunned Kikumaru finally said with his mouth full. The rest of the boys were speechless to respond. There was only one guess to who this person might be. No time to waste their chance, the boys got up from their seats and stormed out of the restaurant and headed to the stadium where the game was being held.

* * *

><p>Outside of the tennis stadium where the recent broadcast was filmed at, a crowd of reporters huddled outside of the stadium with cameras flashing and questions prepared to greet someone who was in the audience just several minutes ago. Soon in the center of attention is the amazing tennis player who stunned the crowd just now with his recent yet incredible win on the court. He grinned with his racket hung over his shoulder as reporters asked him nonstop questions, not minding the attention at all.<p>

"Young man, are you really one of the chosen tennis players said to be successors of Nanjiro Echizen?" one reporter asked.

"You bet I am", the ultimate tennis player proudly replied.

"Then are you going to be joining Team Seigaku?" another reporter asked.

"That depends. I did this only to show off my incredible abilities in hopes that they are interested in having me. So, who's the lucky winner who is hiring me?"

"I think that'll be us."

Ryoma's voice spoke over the flow of reporters and caught the boy in the center's attention. The crowd parted and was full of excitement at the arrival of Team Seigaku. Ryoma was the first to speak to the boy standing in front of the crowd. "You seem to have some abilities in tennis", he first complimented, "Mind telling us who you are?"

"The name's Takeshi Momoshiro. But you guys can call me Momo", the boy said proudly, "So are you the guys who say they are the ultimate tennis men?"

Kikumaru happily smiled and nodded. "That's us!" he confirmed.

"And I'm assuming that you want to be a part of this team?

But just to make things interesting with this new recruit, Ryoma thought of something clever. "So you can win a small game against ordinary tennis players. But I don't think you got what it takes to be alongside us ultimate men", he boasted.

"Okay, you want proof? Why don't we have a match? Me and you, Ryoma Echizen", Takeshi pronounced, "And I bet I can beat you with just 3 points. If I win, you agree to let me on the team but I'll decide on the price I get when signing the contract."

Ryoma was pleased that Momoshiro took the bait. To make fun out of it, he then stated, "Well alright. But if I win, you'll have to be Team Seigaku's water boy. And I think you'll do fine to treat us to a meal." This sounded amusing to Kikumaru and the other boys as they hid chuckles under their breaths.

"Alright, you're on!" Momoshiro declared.

0000000000

The crowd made space for the two to be able to play tennis even though they're not on a proper court. Taking Momo's bet, the victor of the game will be the one who scores 3 points first.

Takashi, Eiji and Shuichiro decided to be spectators as they sat on the sidelines. "Hey kiddo, don't go soft on him!" Eiji rooted for their youngest player.

"...I don't intend to", Ryoma responded after bouncing the tennis ball on the ground several times. Momoshiro stood a few yards away with a grin

"Well come on Echizen, show me how great Team Seigaku is", he beckoned. Doing what he asks, Ryoma tossed the ball up in the air and when it came down at just the right height, he did a nostalgic jump and twisted his body to perform a hard serve.

Performing his popular Twist Serve, the ball shot past Momoshiro in a flash and landed on the ground by his feet in a second, winning an ace shot. It all happened too fast for Momoshiro that he didn't see and now realized that Ryoma had won a point.

Oishi, who is keeping score of the game, called out, "15-love!"

"Why the spaced out look?" Kikumaru called out to Momoshiro, "You won't be able to earn anything if you freeze up like that in a real game! And if you lose this game to Kiddo, I want to have burgers for dinner tonight please!"

Reminded of the pressuring deal they made, Takeshi turned and said to the acrobat with confidence, not showing his fear of losing, "Hey, don't leave me with the bill yet. I'm just getting started here." Then he resumed to facing Ryoma.

"Not bad for a first serve Echizen", Momoshiro commented, "But on the next serve, I'm going to get serious." From this, Kikumaru gave a small chuckle, knowing how good Ryoma gets when playing serious. "He's going to get it..." he said in a sing-song tone.

Starting the next serve, Ryoma tossed the ball up and did the Twist serve again. This time, Momoshiro knew the trick. And so he remembered the ball's path from the last time and placed himself in front of the spot where the ball was going to land and swung his arm back. Once the ball came near enough, he then did a full swing and whacked the ball so hard like a baseball player does.

Momoshiro's shot had sent the tennis ball in the opposite direction, flying sky high over their heads, the same kind of strength Kawamura has.

Kikumaru gave a slight whistle and said, "Whoa...This guy packs a power in his shots."

Now Momo pointed straight at Ryoma with a smirk and said, "Boom!" (**or in japanese, he'd say don**)

For the next several minutes or so, Ryoma and Takeshi were on a long until Ryoma won 2-1 by using his Drive B techinique, which slipped past Momoshiro easily.

In the next round, after a while of rallying, Momoshiro got tired of waiting and decided to pull off one of his special techniques as he announced. Then he bent his knees for a low crouch and used all the strength his legs have to leap up.

Just like they witnessed from the TV, Ryoma and the other boys saw Momoshiro amazingly jump high into the air like a basketball star, preparing to make a dunk. "This is my Dunk Smash!" Momoshiro called out. And with that, he swung his racket straight down onto the ball and achieved a powerful smash that landed on an open spot on Ryoma's side. After the ball smashed into the ground, it sprang and bounced up, hitting a lamppost behind Ryoma.

"30 all!" Oishi called out.

Now the two players needed one point to win the game either way.

"Come on, I expected something more from an ultimate tennis player who happens to be Samurai Nanjiro's son", Momoshiro tried to tease Ryoma again as he prepared for the next serve.

Provoked to put more into this game, Ryoma pulled the brim of his cap down as he said to himself, "You still got ways to go Takeshi Momoshiro..." (**he's actually saying mada mada dane**)

Now on this final serve, Ryoma tossed the ball and sent it across to Momoshiro's side. The tryout ran up and this time, hit the ball so that it would soar vertically over their heads. "Ha! See if you can get that one Echizen!" Takeshi called out.

Ryoma didn't start to run. He remained where he was and had a confident grin on his face again. Then something nostalgic came when everyone saw Ryoma using all his leg strength to jump high in the air with his racket back past his head to prepare what looks like a smash. That was when Momoshiro realized that Ryoma actually performing a copy of his Dunk Smash. "What? He's copying Dunk Smash after just one look?" he thought.

Unfortunately his thinking got in the way, for Ryoma's copied smash hit the ground in front of Momoshiro's feet and sprang up, shooting right at its creator's face and all Momoshiro last remembered is everything turning dark.

Once the ball made a hard contact with Momoshiro's head, he was knocked out cold and landed flat on his back with a thud, making it a victory for Ryoma.

Oishi, Kikumaru and Kawamura came out to his side, surprised at Ryoma's sudden move. "Is he alright?" said a concerned Kawamura. "Who cares?" said Ryoma savoring his win, "It looks like we're having burgers on him tonight after all."

"Gee Kiddo, you didn't have to go that far to give a big welcome", said Kikumaru.

"Well, should we know if he's really one of us?" Ryoma suggested, "After all, he should have a birthmark like ours." To make sure, Oishi went to Momoshiro's side and examined his body in search of the one proof they all know.

Finally Oishi stopped when he came to the hand.

"No doubt about it, he's one of us", he said as he held up Momoshiro's right hand to show the boys the startling truth.

Sure enough, shown plainly on the palm is the similar birthmark shaped like a tennis ball.

"Well what do you know?" said Kikumaru cheerfully, having to have found another member to the team.

* * *

><p>Another member was gained on Team Seigaku, now there were three members left to look for. They returned to the hotel in Tokyo, which will be their living headquarters, and introduced their newest member to the coach. (In case you're wondering, yes Momoshiro did have to pay the boys burgers as part of the bet, much to his dismay. XP)<p>

Several hours later, the team was watching TV on the latest news about Rikkaidai, the team they are set on playing against. Right now reporters were having a quick interview with Co-Captain Sanada after his daily practice.

"Vice-Captain Genichiro Sanada, it appears that Team Seigaku has found another member to their team. Does this effect Team Rikkaidai in any way?"

Wanting the reporters to stop asking him any further questions, Sanada faced the reporters, and the camera himself with his unemotional expression.

"Rikkaidai has no interest in playing against a team that calls themselves professional when they are still incomplete and lack members", he stated, "That is all I can say for now."

That was where Yamato finally turned off the TV and turned to his boys. "Rikkai does have a point there", the coach said as he sat back in his chair, rubbing his temple, "We should find the others as soon as possible before the ."

"Well maybe they are people who have been living in Kanto Region", Oishi suggested, "I mean that's a similarity we five have so far."

Yamato pondered over this opinion , "It could be possible."

The coach then turned to view a huge pile of letters piled on his desk. "I've been receiving nonstop letters sent from different schools, each identifying themselves as an ultimate tennis player. But likewise, I'm expecting most of them are frauds", he sighed, viewing one or two of the letters before tossing them back onto the pile. Kikumaru came up to the desk and his jaw dropped at the tremendous pile. "You're kidding...All of these?" he said, a little uncomfortable at the thought, "If we're to go to each and every single person, it'll take us months, or maybe years if we have to search outside of Kanto!"

"That is why I think it'd be better if we split up and search in different areas", Yamato suggested, "Like Shuichiro mentioned before, they could be around the Kanto area. So we'll start here first." He then held up thick manilla folders, each containing files of several tennis players.

"In these folders are a list of recruits sorted by the prefecture they live in. You boys search each person until you find our ultimate players and bring them back here. Echizen and Momoshiro, you two search up these guys in Saitama and Ibaraki."

"Hey I told you before. Call me Momo", Takeshi reminded as he and Ryoma took a folder each.

"For the Golden Pair, you two look around Gunma and Tochigi."

Kikumaru jumped up from his seat, willingly taking both folders and playfully saluted. "You can count on us!" he chirped.

Now for some reason, Kawamura wasn't given a folder. Before he could ask, Yamato spoke, "And as for you Takashi, I have a certain task for you to do."

"Huh? Me?" said Kawamura curiously.

* * *

><p>And so, the boys separated and are set out on their quest for their remaining team members. Like instructed, four of the five began their trip around the Kanto Region. Ryoma and Takeshi set off to Saitama first. The list Yamato gave them was long, but they were determined to search each one in order to find their destined teammates.<p>

They are now on a tennis court with one of guys on their list who they've managed to found and are prepared to test him out. "Okay, you ready to show us what you got?" Momoshiro, who is the one playing in the match, called out to their tryout. Their applicant, who looked like a cocky boy with sunglasses and spiked hair. Ryoma decided to be the referee and sat in the high chair.

"Bring it! I'm ready!" he said boldly, taking small hops in his spots to prepare himself.

With their applicant's permission, Momoshiro then tossed the ball up and served a straight hit. Unfortunately due to Momo's ultimate men strength, the ball flew over the net and made its way towards the tryout faster than the guy expected.

But instead of hitting the ball back like the two hoped he'd do, the ball came bonking into the guy's face unexpectedly. The impact caused the boy's sunglasses to fall off while his body fell backwards with a thud, leaving the ball bouncing and rolling on his side.

And for Ryoma and Takeshi's final decision, the boys looked at each other and shook their heads left to right in disappointment.

"Still got ways to go", Ryoma stated.

* * *

><p>If you're all wondering what is Takashi Kawamura doing at this moment, he was on a special mission given by Yamato, which brings him back to Chiba.<p>

He was now inside a billiards club, hiding behind the corner while looking at the people who are playing pool on one of the tables further from him. Amidst the crowd of huddling fangirls is Shusuke Fuji, who is playing a nice game of pool for fun.

It turns out that Yamato has sent Kawamura to spy on Fuji, to confirm the possibility of Fuji being one of their destined teammates. Unfortunately this proved to be quite difficult for Kawamura to achieve, what with the fangirls always around.

Nearly everywhere Fuji arrives to, there's always a bunch of fangirls waiting for him and surrounding him with requests for pictures or autographs or just wanting to look at him. Takashi observed Fuji as he plays billiards surprisingly good like a professional, hitting balls in the holes with clever techniques at ease. At first, you couldn't even tell that Fuji is even a tennis player.

But Takashi remembered his mission and now tried to focus. Using his eyes, he scanned Shusuke's body in search of something. But it was rather difficult when girls jumped around him every time Fuji gets a ball in the hole. No matter how hard he looked, Takashi couldn't spot a birthmark on parts of the body that are visible like the head, neck and arms. Also, Fuji was wearing long slacks so Kawamura couldn't see if the mark was on the legs. This wasn't pleasant news. Now Kawamura knows that if Fuji has a birthmark, it would be hidden under his clothes somewhere...but where?

After winning several games, Fuji left the billiards club for the day, of course Takashi was right on his tail. He made sure to keep several a yard or so apart so he couldn't be seen by him. Carefully Takashi followed Fuji as they approached a park. But it was here that as expected, a new group of girls came up to the genius, causing Kawamura to stop and hide behind a tree.

Not wanting to disappoint the girls, Fuji took the time to take pictures with them and sign autographs. Takashi again had a hard time, even while looking through a pair of binoculars, to get a glimpse of Fuji clearly. But then it got worse when three girls stepped up to Fuji's front and blocked him from Takashi's view. Kawamura lowered his binoculars and decided to give up. "How can I keep following a guy like him like this?" he asked himself.

He decided to go into the park and sit on a bench for a while until another opportunity came. Slumping in his seat, Kawamura stared at the sky. "I wonder if the others are doing better", he thought, "But where will we find another guy like us in the middle of all Japan?"

Then his train of thought was interrupted when he recognized the sound of a tennis ball bouncing somewhere close-by. He followed his ears and noticed that a tennis court is located not too far from where he's seeing and he's close enough to see that two boys are playing a match to themselves. Being intrigued by the sport, Kawamura couldn't help but watch for fun. But he soon realized that he wasn't the only person watching the game.

Standing outside the tennis court fence is one spectator, a boy who is wearing a junior high uniform. He is tall, has black hair and wore glasses. He was writing in a green notebook while observing a tennis game taking place with such interest in the background.

"What a strange guy", Takashi thought, "I wonder what he's doing?"

He continued to watch the boy "Probability of the ball's target landing at the right...99%", he calculated to himself.

Takashi wondered why this boy made such a prediction so soon, that is until the tennis player in the game now had the ball coming towards him and landed exactly on the spot where the boy had predicted.

Kawamura was amazed that the boy's prediction came true after observing the ball before it reaches its target. "That...couldn't be a lucky guess just now would it?" he asked himself.

Then out of the blue, the glasses wearing boy called out to one of the tennis players in the game. "You there, on the right side! I recommend you position your backswing by bringing your elbow close towards your side to put less stress on your arm", he suggested.

The tennis player he's talking to was at first confused at why this guy out of nowhere is giving him tips. But all the same, he was curious and did as the boy told him. Now his friend served him a new ball and right when he returned the ball, he got a surprise to see that his shot made the ball to fly with more speed.

"Wow..." the tennis player said quietly. Then to the glasses wearing boy who gave him the advice he said with a grateful smile, "Thanks!"

Now Takashi had witnessed the whole thing and was left awestruck. "A-Amazing", he remarked, "How did he figure that out? He'd have to be one genius to figure that out." But it was then that the power player received a small hunch that wouldn't leave his mind.

"Unless...could he be...?"

Taking the risk, Kawamura then walked forward to approach the glasses wearing boy. "Excuse me!" he called out. The boy with glasses looked up from his notebook and saw some boy he doesn't know walking up to him.

"Can I ask you something?" Takashi asked politely.

"Hm?" the glasses wearing boy replied with curiosity.

* * *

><p>It's been almost 2 days since Yamato sent the boys on their search. Now at this time in Gunma, Oishi and Kikumaru have arrived at the next school on their list, in hopes of finding their newest member there. Kikumaru read down the list Yamato gave them to look for the name of the school they've just arrived at. "This is the school", he confirmed, looking up at the school, "Home to a Kaoru Kaidoh, 13 years old, 8th grade". Oishi also took a peek at the file and included, "And it says here that he became the school's Regular. The only one in the 8th grade."<p>

Kikumaru then closed the folder he's holding and spoke with a positive attitude, "Alright then! I bet we'll find our fellow teammate here!"

However it wasn't starting off easy. Since classes have been over a while ago, there was hardly any student around the campus that they can ask for information. That is, until the two spotted one person seen on the school's tennis courts. He has black hair in a bowl cut and from his height, he is a freshman and has was in his school uniform, but is sweeping the court as part of club duties.

Kikumaru then called out to the boy, "Hey you! You go to this school right?" The boy stopped walking and seemed shy when he saw Oishi and Kikumaru approaching him. To reply to Kikumaru's question, he simply nodded. He then looked back and resumed the sweeping. After a second, he changed direction to the right so that his side is facing the Golden Pair.

That was when the two of them noticed that the boy actually has his right arm wrapped in a cast as he continues to sweep with effort.

From the sight of the boy's injury, Kikumaru and Oishi were a little hesitant to say anything. But then Eiji gave his partner an encouraging nudge. "Go on", he whispered. Oishi was nervous as he is, but he gathered the courage and stepped forward. Then friendly as he can, Oishi spoke, "Uh, we were told that a guy named Kaoru Kaidoh goes to this school. Is that true?"

Right when he said the name, the boy's face was filled with fear. "W...Why would you want to see Kaidoh?" he stuttered timidly, "You two can't be from around here."

Remembering that they haven't introduced themselves earlier, Eiji spoke proudly, "Well we are from Team Seigaku, the ultimate tennis team. Eiji Kikumaru's my name. And this here's my buddy Shuichiro Oishi. And we've come here because we heard that this Kaidoh plays tennis well and we wanted to ask him about joining..."

Before he could finish his sentence, the boy had started to walk away from them without another word. "Hey, wait a minute! Don't go now!" Eiji called out before he went further, "We just want to know where we can find Kaidoh!"

The boy then stopped with his back turned to the Golden Pair. "You really don't want to see Kaidoh", the boy strongly encouraged. He sounded as if he's afraid of something concerning Kaidoh. This made the Golden Pair look at each other with puzzled thoughts.

"Huh?" Eiji replied.

"What do you mean?" asked Shuichiro.

"...There were many at this school that played against Kaidoh in a tennis match", the boy started, "And they all ended up not able to play tennis anymore."

Well at first it sounded creepy to Shuichiro, but thinking it was probably some kind of joke, Kikumaru gave a hesitant laugh instead. "Come on, you make it sound like we're going to lose against him", he bragged. But instead of laughing with him, the boy continued to be sullen and showed fear.

"Uh Eiji? I think he's serious", Oishi said in his point of view. Eiji stopped laughing and saw that the boy was still showing signs of fear. "What? You're really serious?" he asked.

"If you guys don't want to lose the ability to play tennis anymore, then you have to stay away from Kaidoh", the boy pleaded.

Now Eiji walked up to the boy and faced him personally. "Hey come on, if this Kaidoh thinks he can scare off even ultimate tennis players like us, he's wrong. We're not afraid", the acrobat boldly stated, "Take us to him."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile in Gunsu, Ryoma and Takeshi also didn't have any luck finding a new ultimate tennis player to join their team. With no other lead, the two returned to the hotel room back in Tokyo after a long trip through Saitama and Ibaraki. When they walked in, Yamato was no where to be found as well as their other teammates.<p>

"Just great. We've asked about 14 guys from 4 different schools and none of them are even close to being called ultimate tennis men", Momoshiro moaned, "What a bunch of liars just wanting attention." He and Ryoma slumped into chairs with nothing left to do but wait until something happens.

"I bet the others are having better luck", Ryoma sighed, placing his chin on his palm, "I can just imagine Eiji-sempai's accomplishing grin already." He stared off into space and imagined Eiji jumping up and down happily, bragging off on how he and Oish had found their new teammate first and so soon.

Then Takeshi's cell phone rang so he took it out of his pocket and answered it. "Hello? Momo here", he spoke. He listened for a few seconds but then gave a startling gasp and sat up in his seat with a start.

"Huh? You serious? What happened? Where are they?" he asked the caller urgently.

Ryoma wondered what Momoshiro is worried about as Momo listened further, replying with nods and small sounds of response. Then right after Momo hung up his phone, Ryoma first asked, "What?"

With an troubled look on his face, Momo replied, "It's Kikumaru and Oishi. They got injured from playing a match against one guy in Gunma."

Ryoma reacted with shocked eyes and he too sat up with a start.

"They what?"

"Right now they're recovering at a student's house in Kiryu", Momo answered. It didn't make sense to Ryoma, a tennis player out of nowhere actually beats someone like the Golden Pair in tennis?

Immediately Ryoma got up from his seat and grabbed his jacket. "Then we'd better go to them", he insisted.

Momo nodded in agreement and the two filed out of the room in haste.

* * *

><p>At the same time back in Kanagawa, Rikkaidai had finished a day of practice and Yukimura and Sanada walked together out of the tennis, heading to their club room. On their way, they happened to notice that someone is leaning against a wall ahead of them.<p>

When they came closer it turned out to be Yamato waiting patiently for them. "A fine day for practice today isn't it?" he commented peacefully.

Yukimura didn't seem surprised at the coach's presence as he and Sanada stopped in front of him. "Why Coach Yamato, what brings you here? Shouldn't you be on your man hunt for your ultimate team?" he asked.

"Oh I thought I would just check on how things are going for our future competition ahead", said Yamato, the usual scheming look in his eyes behind his glasses, "And I want to know from your point of view if Seigaku has become more appealing to your taste at this rate."

"And what if we weren't as we still are?" Sanada inquired.

"Then you should consider the opportunity here Vice-Captain Sanada." Then Yamato began to think out loud in wonder. "Just think about it, Japan's number 1 junior high tennis team, competing against the team that is considered to be the ultimate tennis team in the world. It'll be quite a blissful even in history if Seigaku manages to beat you. But...say that if somehow, by miracle, Team Rikkaidai happens to beat us...what would your fans thank of you now?"

Yukimura and Sanada get that Yamato is trying to persuade them by any means possible.

"Even if our team accepts your challenge to a match, I doubt that it'll happen, what with one of Seigaku's members taken out of the game and all", said Yukimura, "So unfortunate that an accident should happen during your team's creation."

Now here, Yamato had a puzzled look as he faced Yukimura and said, "What are you talking about? What accident?"

"You haven't heard?" said Sanada, sounding surprised, "It was all over the newspapers this morning."

Finally Yukimura has decided to say the bad news straight out. "...Shusuke Fuji, the one you are about to recruit", he started, "...He was caught in an accident."

In response, Yamato's eyes widened with shock. "What? When?" he asked urgently.

"Apparently he got in a car accident on his way home from a gallery exhibition", Yukimura explained, "The reports say that his condition is highly critical and unstable. Who knows, he may not recover or wake up."

"You say that Samurai Nanjiro's dream consists of a team with nine men", Sanada mentioned, "Well I'm afraid you might not be able to accomplish that with only eight men should you succeed in finding the others." That was all he had to say as he and Yukimura left the coach and walked away.

Yamato, still in shock, couldn't believe his ears. With Fuji's life on the line, will Team Seigaku be short of one player in the end?

**_To Be Continued_**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Note:<span>** Uh oh! What's going to happen to Fuji? Who is this mysterious Kaidoh that managed to beat up the Golden Pair? And who is it that caught Kawamura's attention in the park? Will Team Seigaku get their team ready on time? Fine out in the next chapter!

Okay everyone, this is where I'm going to need your help! In the next chapter, I'm planning for Ryoma to learn and achieve a technique from the manga/anime and I don't know which one to use in training. Can I have some suggestions to which technique he should learn? I'm probably going to ask this two more times throughout the story so I'll take the top three picks.

One more thing, Moonhera asked me this question already and I thought I'd write it here in case anybody else is interested. For those who want to see the actual Astro Kyudan drama that I've based this off of, all episodes are found online on dramafever!

Please review!**  
><strong>


	4. Data Man & The Viper

As Eiji would say, "Minna omatahe!" (sorry to keep you waiting!)

Never fear! The new chapter's here! For the long break, I've made this chapter somewhat longer. Thank you for your patience!

Okay so the story so far, Team Seigaku were in the middle of their search for the remaining teammates until trouble returns. The Golden Pair is beaten by the one called Kaidoh, Kawamura makes a curious encounter with a strange boy in glasses, and Fuji gets caught in a life or death situation. What will happen?

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 4 – The Viper<span>**

After hearing the sudden news about Shusuke's accident, Yamato went to the hospital in Chiba where Fuji is being cared at. Once he found the room where Fuji's in, he walked in but stopped at the doorway.

On the hospital bed is Fuji, covered in bandages nearly everywhere on his body and completely unconscious and still. His left leg and right arm were in casts as well as his neck. An oxygen mask was placed over his face and several wires were connecting his body to machines that kept him breathing and measuring his heatbeat and brain waves. However he's not alone.

Sitting by his bedside and watching over him is a pretty young lady with the same colored hair as Shusuke's. The woman had just been crying quietly while holding Shusuke's hand but then noticed that she's not alone and turned to face Yamato. "Pardon me, are you related to Shusuke Fuji?" Yamato asked.

The young lady nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Yes...I'm his big sister, Yumiko Fuji", she answered, "Who are you?"

"Yudai Yamato. You could say I'm sort of a friend of his", it was all that Yamato could say for now, "I guess your family's pretty worried. I'm sorry about this." All Yumiko could do is nod.

"Thank you for caring about my brother", she said gratefully, "Shusuke hasn't gotten much time to make friends at school. He's always so diligent in his photography gallery...what with him being a genius and all."

Yamato could imagine how hard working Shusuke must be. Doing well in school, majoring in photography, it must be pleasing for his family. But then he needed to ask something.

"Yumiko, this might be an out of the blue question, but does Shusuke have any kind of birthmark on him when he was born?"

Yumiko wasn't too curious to why Yamato asked that, but still she thought back and recalled something. "Well yes", she replied, "Ever since he was a baby, Shusuke has always carried a round looking birthmark on his back."

The description and mention of the mark caught Yamato's ears as he kept his startled emotion inside himself.

"Do you mind if I have some time alone with him?" he requested, "It won't be too long I hope." Fortunately Yumiko understood Yamato's feelings and respected his wishes. She told him that she'd be in the cafeteria if anything happened and left.

Once Yumiko left, Yamato came up to Shusuke's bedside and looked down at the boy's still form. "Pardon me", he said to the boy in case he's conscious, "I just need to make sure." And with that, Yamato carefully placed his hands under Shusuke's body and gently turned him to his side so his back's facing him. Now he reached out and pulled up the back of the hospital shirt Fuji's wearing and now saw his back wrapped in bandages. Then ever so carefully, Yamato started to pull apart some of the bandages in order to get a good look at the bare skin. It was difficult, but Yamato was able to manage and made a discovery.

Sure enough, his hunch was right. Smack on the middle of Shusuke's back was a tennis ball shaped birthmark. This made the incident all the more unfortunate. "...If only this didn't happened to you Shusuke", Yamato sighed. He then returned Shusuke back to his original position on his back.

At that moment, Takashi came running in the room, catching his breath. He had heard about Fuji's incident and was shocked to find his teammate lying in bed in his terrible condition. Yamato had turned Fuji's body back into its original position before he looked up at Kawamura.

"I heard what happened. Is he...?" Takashi started but was afraid to finish. Before Yamato could answer back, someone else walked in the room after Takashi that made him hold his answer. It was the same boy with glasses that Takashi had encountered back on the tennis courts at the park. Yamato looked at the boy and asked Kawamura, "Oh? And who do you have there Takashi?"

"Sadaharu Inui, 9th grader. Pleased to meet you", the boy with glasses spoke then gave the coach a bow.

"I found him at the park Coach", Kawamura explained, "But you won't believe what I found out about him."

To show what he meant, Inui hoisted his right foot and placed it onto a stool. Then he slowly raised the leg of his pants to uncover his ankle so that his bare skin is seen near the foot. Immediately Yamato was astonished at the sight of a birthmark shaped like a tennis ball visible on Sadaharu's ankle. "So...you're one of us too", he said, having his spirit lifted for the moment on this pleasing news.

"Takashi here has explained to me of this ultimate tennis team which you are constructing and how my birthmark seems to be connected to all this. But before I could make my decision, we were informed of Shusuke Fuji's incident", Sadaharu included, "How is he?"

Yamato gave a grim look. "I can't say for sure. The crash must've caused him to lose a lot of blood and he might be stuck in a coma."

"Perhaps, I should take a peek to see what the problem is", Inui suggested, he does look smart enough.

Inui examined Fuji closely, head to toe. He pulled back one of his eyelids to look at Fuji's unfocused pupil. Then he placed his ear close to the chest so he can hear the inside and his heart functioning. After several quiet seconds of deep thinking, Inui stood back up with a solution.

"...Mr. Yamato, I may have an idea for the revival of our friend here", Inui concocted, "With your permission, I would suggest giving Fuji a special treatment." Kawamura was rather nervous yet curious about what Inui meant by 'special treatment'. But for the sake of their team's goal, Yamato had no choice but to put his trust in Inui.

"What do you have in mind?" he inquired.

* * *

><p>As soon as they got the startling news about the Golden Pair being seriously hurt and recuperating at someone's house in Gunma, Echizen and Momoshiro headed straight for there by train. When they had arrived, they went to the house of the student that Oishi and Kikumaru met at the school and knocked on the door.<p>

Seconds after knocking, the door opened and the boy with the bowl cut hair poked his head out.

"Hey, are you the guy taking care of our friends?" asked Takeshi.

"You mean Kikumaru and Oishi sempai right?" the boy first confirmed. When he received nods from Ryoma and Takeshi, the boy willingly allowed them to enter the house.

The boy named Kachiro Kato led the two Seigaku members down the hall and walked them to one of the guest rooms. He then opened the door and spoke into the room, "Uh, Kikumaru-sempai, Oishi-sempai, your friends are here to see you." Then he stepped to the side and Ryoma and Takeshi entered the room first. But when they did, they found a startling sight.

Oishi and Kikumaru are both lying on the floor on futons, covered in minor injuries. Oishi had his ribcage wrapped and his face covered with small bandages while Kikumaru had his forehead area wrapped and his arms and knees in bandages from wrist to elbow and knee to shin.

At the arrival of Ryoma and Takeshi, Oishi slowly tried to sit up, with the assistance of Kachiro, but Eiji remained as he is, sulking as he sat cross legged on his futon with his chin laid on his palm.

After one look at the Golden Pair's condition, Ryoma and Takeshi were speechless. "Man...What happened to you two?" Momoshiro finally got the words out. "It's...complicated", said Oishi looking at the floor with guilt for making them worry. All Eiji did was do a heavy sigh.

"To think...To actually defeat the Golden Pair, this guy must be abnormal", Ryoma commented, shaking his head.

"How exactly is his style of playing Oishi-sempai?" Momoshiro asked the mother hen.

Oishi thought back and remember, but as he did, he looked somewhat spooked at the thought of it. "It...It was just sudden", he started slowly, "His serves were all aimed straight for areas where we were weak at. It seems his main goal is returning the balls to areas on the court far from the player in order to tire him out. That's what happened to Eiji here. He lost his stamina after a few points from chasing after the ball."

Now here, Kikumaru gave a moan of frustration. "I can't believe we lost to that...that...that snake! He's just lucky that we both were playing Singles against him!" he complained.

"I still don't get how a guy could be able to injure and beat two of our ultimate team like this", Momo mentioned.

"It's been like this for a while", Kachiro explained, "Nobody knows the reason why, but Kaidoh uses tennis to hurt people. He claims it's because he hates tennis."

"Huh? A guy with this kind of strength that hates tennis?" said a confused Momoshiro.

Kachiro nodded and said, "Nearly everyone in Gunsu who were star tennis players have all been defeated by Kaidoh and weren't able to play tennis again. His goal is to injure and tire them out during games. Around here, we all call him the Viper."

Ryoma has heard enough, being motivated enough, and stood up from his seat. "Then I guess I have to face him in a match in order to teach him a lesson about tennis", he stated. But he was stopped by Kikumaru. "Don't even bother", said the acrobat sullenly, "He'll get you on your knees after one game."

Ryoma and Takeshi did not expect this was coming from the usual hyper and happy Eiji who encouraged them every time.

"What happened to the motivational Eiji Kikumaru of the Golden Pair?" the prince asked the redhead firmly, despite himself being younger than the acrobat, "Did Kaidoh also took away your pride when you lost?"

At this, Eiji got to his feet, much to Oishi's concern, and looked down the tennis prodigy. "I'm saying that so you don't go get your reputation as a tennis player ruined!" said Eiji sharply, "It's obvious that this guy might be-."

"One of us?" Ryoma finished. Kikumaru only nodded back.

"Then it's all the more reason I should challenge him."

"But it's not easy", Oishi mentioned, "You'll have to find a technique that'll get past his reach otherwise he'll tire you out like he did to Eiji."

"Which is why I can't lose", Ryoma declared, "If Kaidoh continues this way, then he'll misuse the game of tennis and make a joke of our team's goal. I'm not going to stand around and see him do that."

Now as he spoke, Kachiro saw a tennis ball he used to use sitting in front of him. The meager boy reached out and wanted to pick it up, but his arm cast made it difficult prevented him from doing so and he can't even use his fingers to grip onto it. "Gee...If only I could play tennis", he said with such yearning, "The way Kaidoh plays...it's just not right for those who love tennis. I don't want that to happen!" Discouraged at himself for lacking the capabilities to play, Kachiro hung his head down in shame.

Ryoma can see clearly that Kachiro has a passion for tennis as they do. He then walked over and picked up the tennis ball that Kachiro couldn't grip onto.

"Kachiro, if you want don't want Kaidoh to hurt anymore people...then I want you to lead me to him", he firmly requested, "It's up to you whether you want to do something about it or not. So what's it going to be?"

Shuichiro, Takeshi and Eiji all looked to a hesitant Kachiro for his answer. Finally in determination to stop Kaidoh, Kachiro looked up at Ryoma and gave a confident nod.

* * *

><p>Reluctant but at Ryoma's request, Kachiro led the group to where Kikumaru and Oishi have encountered the one called Kaoru Kaidoh. Kaidoh's training grounds was actually on a empty field next to a river, at the foot of a road. The first thing they saw as they walked onto the empty land are a row of target dummies made from wood hammered into the ground and a court drawn into the dirt. The dummies were shaped to look exactly like people.<p>

From analyzing the dummies carefully and comparing it to a normal human body, Echizen realized that the dummies had some of their parts damaged by supposedly tennis balls, but they were hard enough to create crater looking marks from great strength.

"So it looks like he aims his returns at the legs and stomach?" Ryoma presumed. This made Momoshiro have second thoughts about Ryoma's decision. Concerned about the dangers, Momoshiro tried to persuade Ryoma to reconsider. "Look Echizen it's not too late to go back now", he insisted, "Think about it, this guy play dangerously."

He hoped that it would work, but Ryoma instead kept his ground and awaited for the one who calls himself Viper to appear. Skimming the area left to right with his eyes, Ryoma then sensed something.

"...He's here."

Before Momoshiro could try and persuade Ryoma again, the group realized that they were not alone. Someone had arrived at the edge of the road, looking down from the top of the group.

Kaoru Kaidoh is a boy with a mean scary face and long arms and legs. He wore a sleeveless black shirt, white shorts, and a green bandana over his head and has a blue tennis racket hung across his shoulder. "Who dares enter my training grounds?" he barked at the group below. He then let out a exhale that seemed to sound like a snake hissing when it's bothered.

"That's the guy!" Kikumaru pointed out. Now Ryoma and Takeshi seemed to understand why Eiji referred Kaidoh as a snake earlier.

As Kaidoh stared at the group, he noticed that there were new members amongst the doubles pair that he remembered beating previously.

"New meat eh? Are you here to accept my Snake Shot as well?" he said with interest.

This pushed Kikumaru to the edge and made him lose his patience. "That's it. Let me at him-!"

He was determined to go forth and confront Kaidoh again, but Oishi and Momoshiro held him back by the arms as he struggled. "Ignore him Eiji!" Oishi urged, remembering how they got their injuries in the first place. "Yeah don't let that freaky viper get to you", Takeshi advised.

"What did you just call me punk?" Kaidoh snapped at Momoshiro's last sentence. He then jumped off and slid down the slope until he reached their ground and approached the boys, mainly Momoshiro.

"Huh? I just said that we shouldn't listen to the viper", Momoshiro restated.

Right after he said that, Kaidoh then grabbed Momo by his jacket's collar and brought him close to his face so he could stare in his eyes with his own.

"Listen here...if there's one thing I hate", he strictly warned, "it's when someone misuses the name Viper in front of me."

"Oh yeah? And what are you going to do about it, dumb Viper?" said Momo, as if he's purposely pushing Kaidoh to the edge.

"What did you say loud mouth?"

"You heard me snakey! Don't pretend you're deaf!"

The two glared at each other, electricity shooting out from their eyes. They were about to go on a fist to fist fight hadn't it been for Ryoma, who came in between the two and ushered Momoshiro to step back.

"We heard all about you Kaidoh. And it's obvious to us that the sport how you play is not called tennis", Ryoma declared, "We're here to challenge you. That way you'll be taught the right way in playing tennis." When he said this, Kaidoh thought it was a joke that a kid one grade younger than him is bossing him around. "You challenge me? You sure you wouldn't want to reconsider that shorty?" he first inquired, "Do you even know how dangerous my tennis style is?"

To prove his point, Kaidoh walked onto where he had marked the court territory and faced the row of dummies that are yards away from him. Beside his targets is a ball launcher that's loaded with tennis balls. Then a ball was launched and zoomed towards Kaidoh in speed. Eyes looking forward, Kaidoh then raised his racket dragged it along the ground for a short second before raising it up and returning the ball.

Following his swing, the ball flew straight back over the net and crashed into the target dummy in the center with a loud boom. It left a huge hole in the leg area, leaving Ryoma and Team Seigaku appalled at the Snake Shot. But this didn't seem to scare Ryoma the bit. "The Buggy Whip Shot huh?" he said, not surprised at all, "Haven't seen that move since I left America."

"The what shot?" Kikumaru said confusingly.

"Isn't that a term for back in America?" Oishi mentioned, recalling to have heard that term from a book he once read, "Looks the same as his Snake Shot."

"I'll have you know that my serve is much different than that machine", Ryoma said to Viper. And to prove it, Ryoma picked up a tennis ball from the ground and stood a few yards from the dummies like Kaidoh did. Then with his racket in his right hand, Ryoma tossed the ball up and twisted his body to give enough boost to perform the Twist Serve. It shot towards and crashed into a dummy's head like a bullet and completely decapacitated it from the body.

Impressed, Kaidoh now changed his opinion. "If you're that desperate, then I'll grant your wish to never play tennis again once we're done here", he stated, pointing his racket at Ryoma with his eyes glaring.

Pleased to have his chance, Ryoma walked over to take his spot on the opposite side of the substitute court. Momoshiro and Oishi though were still uncomfortable about his decision and wanted to interfere. "Hold on Echizen!" Momoshiro called out, "Is it necessary to go up against that killer move?"

He was about to go up to Ryoma when Kikumaru spoke to stop him, "It's no use stopping him Momo." Eiji remained where he is while Oishi, Momo and Kachiro's eyes were on him. "Our little guy knows that strength doesn't matter. We eventually must face any opponent who comes in our way. That's one of our team's goals isn't it?" Eiji encouraged. He seems to have faith in their youngest player and agreed to his thoughts.

Regardless of the danger in facing Kaidoh, Momo and the others had no choice but to trust in the senior's words and watch Ryoma from the side.

Now once Ryoma took his spot, he faced Kaidoh in order to say something. "Before we begin, I have something to ask", he noted.

"Now what? Make it quick!" the Viper barked impatiently.

Continuing with his question, Ryoma asked, "...Do you by any chance have any kind of birthmark on you?"

All of Team Seigaku's ears were open and waiting for Kaidoh's answer. If Kaidoh really has a birthmark shaped like a tennis ball, then they would have found their next member.

Finally in response, Kaidoh scoffed, "Hmph! What kind of a question is that? I have no birthmark whatsoever." This was a surprise to Team Seigaku. Were they really wrong in thinking Kaidoh is one of the chosen nine?

"Huh? No birthmark?" said a puzzled Oishi, "Then he can't be one of us after all even with abilities like that?"

"Is that even possible?" asked Kikumaru.

"Well I say good riddance", said Momoshiro, the only one satisfied, "I wouldn't want a guy like that playing by our side either way."

Ultimate man or not, Ryoma still proceeded with his goal to stop Kaidoh's reckless once and for all. As he bounced a ball on the ground a couple times he said, "Too bad...You could've made a great change in our team." Then he caught the ball in his grip again, ready to start the game. Both Ryoma and Kaoru eyed each other for a long while, hands tightening around their tennis rackets with the urge of defeating the other.

"Right...Here I go."

Just when Ryoma was about to serve, there was a sound of a car engine coming from the road causing both players to pause and look up from their game.

Driving down the road is a white Toyota van that stopped when it was close towards the spot the boys are. And coming out of the driver's seat is Yamato who came all the way from Chiba in a rush. He quickly made his way down the slope and came to the boys with a troubled look on his face.

"Boys, something came up. You've got to come back with me", Yamato said urgently.

"Can't this wait?" Ryoma requested, wanting to get back to his match.

But to his dismay, Yamato shook his head when he said, "I'm afraid not. Fuji got into an accident. His condition is highly critical and he's stuck in a coma." Right when they heard Fuji's name, the boys, minus Kaidoh, grew worried for their teammate.

"What happened?" Kikumaru asked.

"I'll explain on the way. Come now. He's at the hospital, Takashi is already there", Yamato said. Immediately he and the boys ran and hurried back up the slope, heading to the van.

But before he left, Ryoma heard Kaidoh call out from where he stood as they rushed up, "Hey Echizen! Don't walk out on me now! Get back here and finish our match!"

Ryoma stopped to face Kaidoh one more time. "Guess our match will have to wait", he said, not sounding too displeased, "My friend needs help at the moment. But we will finish this some other time." Before Kaidoh could stop him, Ryoma went to join the others and quickly climbed into the van. Yamato turned on the engine and drove off hurridly in the direction he just came from.

Irked, Kaidoh watched the van drive away without having his chance to crush Ryoma. "Seigaku...you just got your lives saved for now", he muttered under his breath, "But next time we meet, it'll be over for all of you." He finished his vow with a hissing exhale.

* * *

><p>Let's go back and see what happened back in Chiba during the same time Yamato went to fetch the other boys. Inui has just stated that he should try a special treatment procedure, in hopes of getting Fuji back in safe health. He and Takashi were left behind at the hospital to try this out. First Inui had requested Yamato to go and gather the rest of the team for something important later while he gets started.<p>

For the past hour, Inui has been out doing some shopping and searching for random type of ingredients and stopping by his place to gather equipment. When he returned to the hospital, Kawamura watched as Inui began to invent some kind of drink using strange liquids and items that he couldn't tell what it is. Like a scientist, Inui added one ingredient after another, from energy drinks, to sprinkles of seasonings, and some few gross things that Kawamura didn't dare to ask what it is. Finally after adding the last ingredient, a few drops of a strange smelling blue liquid, Inui placed the beaker filled concoction on a mini bunsen burner and let it boil for a while. Eventually a strange and nasty odor filled the room, causing Kawamura to cover his nose and mouth with disgusted thoughts.

"Sadaharu, what exactly are you making?" he finally needed to ask. As Sadaharu stirred the contents of his drink, he explained, "This is my own original recipe I have thought up of in relation to sports health. I call it, Inui's Golden Exilar Drink."

Finally after few minutes of stirring and waiting, Inui gave a positive remark and announced, "It's done."

The finished product turned out to be a liquid in a green and brown mucky looking color. There was steam still arising from the drink and it was bubbling after being boiled for a while, which made Kawamura a little scared. "So...W-What are you going to do with that?" he nervously asked. Now Inui turned and faced the unconscious Shusuke Fuji with the lenses of his glasses shining in the light.

Soon, Kawamura started to realize what Inui's thinking, and it wasn't pleasant.

"Wait...Don't tell me that...You're going to...?"

He couldn't dare finish his question once he saw Inui approaching Fuji with the mug of the strange exilar in his hand. "You are 100% correct", Sadaharu replied.

Immediately Takashi ran up and grabbed hold of the arm that's holding the mug. "Are you crazy? You can't!" he protested, "You don't even know if or what that drink would do to him!"

"In my data, it is meant to be a reviving potion. I am positive that it will work and bring Shusuke out of his coma", Inui stated, "90%"

"90% that it'll work?"

"...At least...I hope so."

"You hope so?" Takashi exclaimed in panic, "Sadaharu just drop it! You could kill him!"

"But we must take our chances", said Inui in determination, "For Fuji's sake." Kawamura wanted to deny it again, but then he looked at Shusuke and he too was anxious for him to wake up as well. Finally he gave in and released Inui.

"Inui, if you really do kill him with that, Coach is going to kill us", Takashi lastly warned.

Unafraid, Inui told Kawamura to open Fuji's mouth and hold a funnel that's placed over the mouth. Now Inui held up the mug full of his drink in front of him and stared at it for a while. "Well Takashi...let us hope that Mr. Nanjiro Echizen's spirit would allow Fuji to stay in this world for a while longer", he said with hope. And with that, Inui slowly tipped the mug and allowed the contents to fall into the funnel, into Fuji's mouth with Kawamura watching nervously.

Fortunately Fuji's digestive system worked on its own by instinct and the drink is being consumed gulp by gulp. All Inui and Kawamura can do now is cross their fingers and pray for a miracle...

* * *

><p>Back in the Kanto region, an important summit meeting was taking place unknown to Team Seigaku's knowledge. The purpose of this meeting: Team Seigaku itself.<p>

Famous tennis teams from all over Japan have gathered with their coaches and captains present to represent their schools at the Tennis Association conference hall, located in Rikkaidai's hometown, where they had called the meeting to take place.

Since Rikkai has no coach at present, Captain Yukimura came in instead to represent his team with Genichiro Sanada standing by his side. All of the coaches and captains took their seats around the huge table and the meeting was ready to start.

To start the meeting, Yukimura was the first to speak, "Thank you all for coming. The reason why I called this summit meeting with all of Japan's finest junior high tennis teams is so we can discuss about this new team in our midst. Following the appearance of Team Seigaku, I assume you've all received this as well?"

Yukimura held up the challenge letter they've received from Team Seigaku following their game when Ryoma intruded their game against Team Nagoya Seitaku. The rest of the schools responded with nods and they too pulled out similar handwritten letters from Seigaku, declaring a challenge.

"As you all know by now, Seigaku is not a normal average tennis team", Yukimura continued, "What we have here is a group of tennis players with superhuman abilities. The only question I have is should we allow this team to be established?"

Then one of the coaches present spoke, "You all here saw how abnormal Team Seigaku's players are. Think of what could happen to us if we play a match against them. I say we should join forces and prevent Team Seigaku to be established!"

"They are dangerous."

"Certainly not worthy to play."

"We'll all be humiliated!"

"They'll be ruining the ruling of tennis!"

Many coaches nearly sided altogether in agreement that Team Seigaku should be disbanded for the sake and safety of their teams and their pride. It was nearly to the point where they would all announce a unanimous vote that is until one certain changed all that.

"Why hold back?" a cocky and deep voice spoke out among the members, "I say this is a great opportunity for us."

All eyes turned to a chubby man with a grin on his face hidden underneath a beard. This is the coach of Team Higa from the Okinawan Prefecture, Harumi Saotome. Now Higa is known to be one team that uses violence in their tennis playing, therefore being the toughest and dangerous tennis team in Japan.

"My team may not be as popular as the National champion Rikkaidai, but as long as it's a team, whether they call themselves ultimate tennis players or not, Team Higa would gladly compete them any time", Saotome boasted.

"You say that so you could beat another team with your cruel tennis styles isn't that so Coach Saotome?" said Osamu Watanabe, coach of Team Shitenhoji as he gave a suspicious look in his eye from under his hat.

"What makes you so confident?" said another team coach, "You'll only be wasting your time against those boys."

"They said so themselves. They're successors of the late Samurai Nanjiro", said another.

"I say let them have their way", Yukimura then said out of nowhere. Immediately all eyes were on Rikkaidai's captain, who sat there calm looking and with his hands folded in front of him.

"Yukimura?" Sanada inquired, wondering what made his captain decide this.

"If Higa is that anxious to play against Seigaku, then how about we take them up on that challenge? Let the match be unofficial but made public to Japan as it will be just an open match. This way, we'll see for ourselves the superhuman strength Team Seigaku possesses on the court."

Saotome couldn't be any more pleased. "Ha! All the more better! That way, the whole world will see Seigaku crying at their humilating defeat when we defeat them", he boasted.

A change of thought has occurred between the coaches and team captains as they now showed signs of positive comments, siding with Yukimura.

But a statement like this has to have a catch, as Yukimura showed when he turned to face Coach Saotome.

"Though I warn you Coach Saotome, if you do lose against Seigaku in this match, know that you'll only bring humility to your own team by your own greed and risks", Yukimura strongly advised with a firm look in his eyes.

"Oh we won't have anything to worry about", Saotome assured, not worried at the bit.

From his seat on the other end of the long table is Captain and Jin Akutsu of Yamabuki, Kawamura's former teammates. After hearing what he just heard from Higa's coach, Akutsu had a bad feeling for what Seigaku will be facing.

"_What are you thinking Saotome?"_ Akutsu thought suspiciously.

* * *

><p>At the hospital, Yamato has explained to the boys that Fuji was only in a comatose state but is weak from the lack of blood he lost in the accident and of how Takashi has found another of Nanjiro's successors.<p>

Right after Inui had recently given Fuji the Inui Golden Elixar, he has been constantly checking his condition. Takashi however was still all but worried as he stood by the bed watching uneasily and thinking whether or not the drink worked.

The moment Yamato and the others returned, Kawamura explained what Inui just did with the Golden Exilar and all.

"This guy is crazy", he told Yamato, letting all of his emotion out, "That drink he created is unbearable for a normal person. Why if Fuji were awake when he drank that, he would've surely been killed!"

"Wait", Inui said all of a sudden, "Please be quiet for a moment."

Silence came into the room as everyone saw Inui, on alert, taking Fuji's wrist and checking the pulse. The data man was then silent for some moments with his eyebrows narrowing as he felt carefully. Fuji's pulse was currently at a slow pace in his coma state. But then to Inui's surprise, the pulse slowly began to pick up a little speed.

It was right then that Kikumaru's sharp eyes had noticed something. "Inui? Is his hand supposed to do that?" he mentioned out loud. Inui looked up from his work and saw Kikumaru pointing to Fuji's right hand with wide eyes. Everyone stared at the hand on full alert, waiting for a sign...

Suddenly they saw it, Fuji's hand gave a twitch.

"Did you see that?"

"Does this mean...?"

Just to make sure, Yamato walked up to the bedside and leaned over so his ear is close to Fuji's mouth. After several suspeseful moments, Yamato's heart skipped when he heard a moan emerging from Fuji, followed by another twitch from his hand. The coach straightened up and looked at Inui, giving him a confirmed nod. Enlightened by this, Inui proudly smiled and stated, "Probability of Shusuke coming out of coma...99%"

Ryoma and the others were relieved and couldn't have been more happy at this news. "I...I don't believe it...You actually did it Sadaharu", Kawamura remarked, having his doubts about Inui gone.

"Not yet", Inui corrected and faced the team, "This completes phase 1. Now, we move on to phase 2 of the special treatment. For this, I will require the assistance of all your help."

* * *

><p>The second part of Inui's plan to revive Fuji is donating some of their blood to him, in hopes that their similar superhuman genes would revive their injured teammate. To help their teammate, all of the boys had volunteered to willingly donate each of their own blood as well and requested the hospital to perform blood donation.<p>

While they were getting their blood taken, Yamato remained in Fuji's room to watch over the boy. Even though he may be out of the coma, Fuji continued to lay there unconscious with weak breaths.

Yamato then took out the tennis ball given to him by Samurai Nanjiro and placed it on the table beside Fuji's bed, hoping that perhaps Nanjiro's spirit would strengthen him. "You have nothing to worry about now Shusuke", Yamato spoke, "Your teammates are helping to restore you back to health with the blood that you all share."

0000000000

The rest of the team had just finished getting 440 cc of their blood drained from their arms and are now resting to recover. After one nurse was wrapping Oishi's arm after his drainage, Ryoma, who was resting on a bed slowly sat up.

"Hey, do you think you can take some more blood from me?" he asked anxiously. But the nurse saw how exhausted the boys are. "You've already had enough blood taken out", she reminded, "Right now you need to recover." But Ryoma was persistent and refused to give up.

"Sorry, but I can't not with my teammate's life on the line", the young prodigy stated.

Knowing that Fuji will need all the help he can get, Kikumaru and Oishi joined in. "Say miss? You can take out another dose from me too", Eiji said willingly, "It won't do any harm right?"

"That goes for me too", Oishi added. Kawamura gave a polite but eager nod as well. All of the boys bowed their heads to the nurse in hopes that she'll do as they asked. Outnumbered by their urge to help their friend, the nurse gave in and nodded.

* * *

><p>Now Momoshiro needed some air after getting his blood taken out and went up to the rooftop of the hospital. He walked out to the railing and leaned against it. "I sure hope Inui's idea will work", he sighed to himself as he stared out into the sunset.<p>

That was when he saw Kachiro walking out, having returned from the laundry room with a basket full of Seigaku's game jerseys, now cleaned. Kachiro then walked over to where the laundry rack stood and began hanging up each jersey to dry. Curious, Momoshiro walked over to talk with the boy.

"Hey Kachiro, what are you still doing here?" Takeshi asked, "Shouldn't you be heading home? I mean there's no need for you to do this."

"I want to help you guys out. This is the only way I can do at least", Kachiro insisted, "I don't mind." He then proceeded in hanging up another jersey and patted it to get rid of the wrinkles.

"Say, if this is for a job or chance of fame, I'm afraid there's not much we can offer you", Momoshiro announced with regret.

"Oh no it's that", Kachiro said, "It's just that I love tennis. Team Seigaku has helped me realize that you can achieve even the impossible dreams."

Takeshi was confused. "So, you're doing all this, even if you're not one of us ultimate men?"

Kachiro looked down at his right arm held in the cast. "I may not be able to play tennis like I used to...and I may not be an ultimate tennis man...but I'm willing to help", said Kachiro with determination, "I want to contribute my share to the team who are Samurai Nanjiro's successors."

Momoshiro had never seen such admiration and faith from anyone like Kachiro before. To show his gratitude, Momo rubbed the top of Kachiro's head playfully. "I like your attitude Kachiro. And you're right, we will show the world how we play tennis. Not like how Kaidoh uses his style to hurt people", he stated boldly. Kachiro nodded eagerly in agreement.

"In any case, what say we get our jerseys nice and dry?" Momoshiro then suggested as he picked up his jersey from the laundry basket, "And afterwards, we should go and bring back some dinner for the others."

Enthusiastically, Kachiro replied, "Yes Momoshiro-sempai!"

"Hey, I told everyone else already. Call me Momo."

* * *

><p>The next day, something new came up that caught the attention of all tennis fans. The news announced that the Tennis Association is going to give out an important message to the public after a recent meeting was held. Team Seigaku, minus Fuji, were gathered in the waiting room and crowded the TV to watch the latest news.<p>

Standing in a conference room surrounded by mass reporters and bystanders is Coach Saotome, accompanied by the team's captain, Kite Eishirou. "A summit meeting has been held recently for Japan's tennis teams and they have announced a conclusion in lights of Team Seigaku's appearance in tennis history", the reporter announced, "It has been decided unanimously that the Okinawan champion Team Higa has been granted permussion to hold an open match against Team Seigaku that will broadcast to the public."

The cameras now turned to what's happening in the conference hall now as Saotome came up to the podium and spoke in the mic. "You've all heard it", he announced, "If Team Seigaku wants to prove they're champions, then Team Higa will gladly challenge them to a game." Now the Seigaku boys were discouraged, for they had their minds set on playing only against Rikkai first. "They can't be serious right?" asked Oishi, "We've sent a challenge to Rikkai first."

"The board have already made up their minds", Yamato sighed, displeased as his boys are, "They are allowing Team Higa to compete us in order to prove we're worthy to face Rikkaidai." The boys gave dissatisfied reactions after hearing this.

"Well it's not much of a surprise", Inui spoke. He then opened up his green notebook and turned to a page then said, "According to my research, Team Higa is known to be a formidable opponent using their Okinawan martial arts styles in their games."

"You actually know all that?" asked an amazed Oishi.

As he pushed his glasses up, Inui said, "I do collect many data on various teams as my hobby."

"I say it's not fair that we're stuck with Higa", Kikumaru pouted with his arms crossed.

"Hmph. And I say they're scared of us", said Momoshiro, "They want to avoid being beaten by us in public."

Then on the TV, one reporter asked, "Coach Saotome, what makes you so confident that your team will be able to win against Team Seigaku? We have heard that they are the said ultimate tennis team in Japan."

Saotome had a sinister grin appearing on his face the moment that question was heard. "Why? Because Team Higa has a secret weapon that'll finish Seigaku for us", he stated.

This of course stirred up Team Seigaku's curiosity even more. "A secret weapon?" Kawamura said aloud. Even Inui didn't expected this as he pondered with silent thoughts.

Saotome then turned and motioned someone from off screen to come forward. The boys at first couldn't tell who he's talking to, but then all cameras were then focused on the person who stepped onto the platform in front of the audience...and he wore a distinctive green bandana on his head.

Yes, and regrettably, to Team Seigaku's shock, the secret weapon was none other than Kaoru Kaidoh, wearing the official purple jacket bearing Higa's name.

Of course at this, why wouldn't Team Seigaku be exclaiming all sorts of startled comments now?

"Huh? No way!" Kikumaru exclaimed, "What is he thinking?"

"Hmmm", said Inui, a little troubled that this wasn't included in his data, "It's illogical...This is something even I haven't gotten any data of."

"That punk..." said Momoshiro, who hates Kaidoh the most.

"Team Seigaku won't stand a chance against our key to victory, the Viper!" Saotome said proudly as he patted Kaidoh's shoulder, followed by a hearty laugh. Immediately all the reporters and photographers were bustling with comments about this new player, taking photos and scribbling it down in their notebooks.

Then to the cameras, Kaidoh spoke, "Team Seigaku...if you're watching this, then come out and play! Don't even think of running away this time!"

And the team watching from the hospital heard Kaidoh giving the horrible hissing.

Hearing Kaidoh's warning made the Seigaku boys lost control of their rising anger. "Oh he's going to get it", Momoshiro vowed, punching a fist to his palm, "Just wait till I hit him with my Dunk Smash." Everyone else seemed to agree with him.

But none of them are going anywhere unless they get a certain someone's permission, someone who is in charge of the team after all. Yamato has been quiet during the past few minutes, scratching his chin in deep thought. Ryoma turned to the coach and strongly requested, "Coach Yamato, please let us compete against them. His teammates sided with him and asked the same thing eagerly.

"Please Coach!"

"Let us!"

"Please oh please?"

In response to his players' confidence and persistance, Yamato finally gave in to majority rules.

"Very well...beat Higa first, then on to Rikkaidai", the coach announced. Hearing their request granted, Kikumaru and some of the others cheered with excitement.

"Yahoo-Ow!" Kikumaru said suddenly due to the pain from his arm from pumping his fist in the air. From their cheers, a nurse came out and ushered them to lower their voices. "Please, this is a hospital", she reminded. The boys bowed their heads and apologized in quieter voices.

"Let's go and give Fuji the Seigaku spirit in him", Kawamura suggested.

"Nope", Yamato interrupted, "Now, it's time for training. You still have a lot to prepare before competing against Higa." Realizing that his coach is right, Ryoma nodded. "That's right. We have to figure out a strategy that'll beat Kaidoh's Snake Shot", he insisted.

"Alright! Let's go!" Kikumaru cheered. He, Momoshiro, Kawamura and Horio then followed Echizen straight for the door in haste.

"Wait for me", Oishi called out, being the last. But then he felt pain from his sides which halted him and caused Kikumaru to stop and look back. Yamato noticed Oishi's reaction and figured that he's still in bad shape. "Hey hold up Shuichiro, you should stay behind and let those injuries of yours heal", the coach recommended. Not wanting to be left out, Oishi tried to beg the coach to reconsider. "I'm alright Coach", he insisted, "I have to train too." But then he was stopped by Kikumaru.

"Hey Oishi, you stay here and rest 'kay?" Eiji insisted, trying to cheer up his friend, "We'll be okay."

"Eiji..."

Giving Oishi a reassuring smile, Kikumaru patted Oishi's shoulder and chirped, "It'll be okay! Get well Oishi!"

After Kikumaru said his farewell and left to catch up to the others, the nurse from before came up to Oishi. "You should come and rest", she suggested. Then she led Oishi down the hall to find a room for him to lay down in. Now all who's left in the waiting room are Yamato and Inui.

"Now I hope you won't mind watching over Shusuke would you Sadaharu?" Yamato inquired. Inui nodded and said, "I'll let you know if anything changes." Yamato smiled and patted Sadaharu's shoulder as a sign of thanks before he too departed and followed the others, leaving Inui by himself.

* * *

><p>Ryoma and the others who are able to train returned to the tennis courts outside of Kachiro's school. They warmed themselves up, dressed in their team jerseys by stretching or bouncing balls against a wall. One thought was in their minds at the moment: Don't lose to Kaidoh.<p>

Now Yamato was sitting on the bench with a thought in his mind as he watched Ryoma practice his swinging.

"We're losing time...I guess it's time I teach him that already", he said to himself. He then removed his jacket and stepped onto the courts with his racket. As soon as the boys saw their coach enter to join in the training, they gave their full attention.

"Hey Ryoma, come over here. I want to show you something", Yamato beckoned. The prince approached his coach obediently and listened for further instructions.

"What you are about to see is a technique that's been kept confidential for years", Yamato started as he held a tennis ball in his left hand; "I want you to pay very close attention." Ryoma nodded to allow Yamato to proceed.

Yamato first took a calming breath and relaxed himself. "_This move that you taught me Mr. Echizen...I'll put it to good use_" he said in his mind.

"It's too easy", Ryoma immediately analyzed while it's moving, "Anyone can catch that if you're attempting to use a volley."

However his words proved him wrong when his eyes spotted Yamato making a sudden change in his body. Now the man was positioning his racket arm behind him and brought it forward to connet with the ball. Once it did, the boys were startled when they saw a cyclone appearing and blowing around Yamato. "What is that?" Momoshiro said in amazement.

After a few moment with the ball spinning rapidly on his racket, Yamato did a strange looking flick with his arm that sent the ball shooting diagonally at the ground on the opposite side of the net and slammed into the surface with such power.

"What? A smash?" Kikumaru pointed out with his sharp eyes.

But it didn't stop there. After the ball smashed down, it had extra bounce that made it shoot up and stuck itself into the fence, making a dent.

Ryoma and the other boys had never seen an amazing and quick move like that before.

"Cyclone Smash..." Yamato spoke the title of the new technique he just performed, "This was one of the moves invented by your father himself. And he never used this in public or in his games. It uses a similar style to the Twist Serve, but this has an extra power boost. Now, I figured it's time you learn it."

From witnessing the stellar new move, the other boys were speechless. "Whoa...Kiddo's going to learn that?" said Kikumaru in awe.

"Not just learning", said Yamato, "He'll use this technique against Kaidoh in the game against Higa. It's fast enough to overcome his Snake Shot once you get it done right. Now, give it a try huh?"

He passed another tennis ball to Ryoma, who caught it with his free hand. Then Yamato walked over to where he had pinned up a big sheet with an outline of a person that'll serve as a target. "Position yourself as if you're going to do a volley, but add more strength in the ball so that it will end as a smash and bounce off to hit this target", the coach explained, pointing at the head of the human outline on the sheet.

Eager as he is to get started, Ryoma took his position and bounced the tennis ball in his hand. "A never before seen technique? Sounds fun", he said to himself, "If I master this, then Kaidoh won't know what hit him."

Then he tossed the ball up and when it came down, positioned his arm and racket back and whacked the ball hard. The ball soared over the net, to Ryoma's luck, but then once it covered 10 inches from the net, the ball lost speed and dropped down like a normal soft volley. Confused, Ryoma started wondering what was wrong. "You keep imagining volley", Yamato advised, "Position your arm to a point where it will make the ball travel in a diagonal path so it can hit the ground with such strength."

Taking his advice, Ryoma took out another tennis ball and tried again with his arm at a slightly lower position.

_4 hours later..._

By the time the sun was about to set, Ryoma still had no luck in achieving the new technique. He had no idea that it would be this difficult to accomplish. One ball after another, they all ended up the same, starting out with small power, but dropped like a normal volley before it even reached the target.

His teammates watched helplessly from the side as Ryoma continued practicing.

"Boy...he doesn't look good", said Kikumaru uncomfortably from watching Ryoma trembling from his stance. Kachiro, who was in charge of the team's equipment as their new water boy, was worried about Ryoma as well and wondered if there was a way to help.

Then his eyes looked to the bench where the other boys had left their rackets on. Having a small idea, Kachiro walked over and slowly picked up one of the rackets and looked at it for a while, thinking.

Meanwhile, the other boys thought that enough's enough when they saw Ryoma collapse on his knees, panting heavily and with seat dripping down his face. "Maybe you should give it a rest for the day Ryoma", Takashi suggested, "You look exhausted."

Momoshiro then came over and placed his hands on Ryoma's shoulders in order to lead him to the benches, but the young prodigy jerked himself away from Momoshiro's touch, wanting to continue.

"I'm alright...Momo", he insisted, panting heavily.

"No you're not alright", Momoshiro immediately corrected, "Look Echizen, Taka's right. You don't get a brand new technique done in just a couple of hours you know? Now take a break and leave it already."

Still, Ryoma set his goals on defeating Viper no matter what the risks were. Persistent, he took a hold of his racket again and got back on his wobbly legs.

He took a new tennis ball from his shorts pocket and had his eyes focusing on his target. Again, to his disbelief, the ball didn't reach the target after bouncing from the ground. Ryoma was at the point of frustration that he

"What am I doing wrong here?" he said in anger, taking off his cap and thrust it to the ground.

Then out of nowhere, Kachiro stepped out onto the court, taking his place on the opposite side of Ryoma with a racket in his left hand.

"Hey Kachiro, what are you thinking?" Momoshiro was the first to notice

Kachiro was quiet at first, but then he called out to the prince, "Ryoma...pretend that I'm Kaidoh. Try and serve the smash at me with all you've got."

Immediately the other players reacted to this startling and dangerous decision.

"Are you crazy? There's no way Echizen can guarantee he won't hit you", Momoshiro warned, "Get out of the way!"

"It's too dangerous!" Kikumaru included. Nevertheless, Kachiro remained where he's standing and gripped the racket tight in his uninjured hand. "I'll be fine. This way, Ryoma could correct his aiming if he actually has an actually person to target", he insisted, "Please Ryoma, I'm ready!"

Like the others, Ryoma was hesitant to do so as he stood there watching Kachiro. But he remembered the reason he needed to achieve the Dragon Cyclone Smash.

Before he tossed the ball up, Ryoma said to himself, "...Sorry about this Kachiro...Brace yourself."

Kikumaru couldn't bear to watch so he covered his eyes before Ryoma tossed the ball and twisted his body to hit the ball with full strength.

The power shot shot over the net at such speed that it took Kachiro a second before he felt the ball making direct contact with his face. He stumbled backwards

"Kachiro!" Ryoma called out.

But to his surprise, Kachiro managed to straighten himself up and resumed his position, despite the fact that now he has a blackeye on his face where the ball had hit. "It's nothing!" he assured, "Please continue!"

The sight of the blackeye made Ryoma give second thoughts, but after looking at Kachiro's eager yet determined eyes, he couldn't let him down. Slowly, he took out another ball and prepared for another serve

00000000

For the next several minutes, or rather long painstaking minutes, Ryoma had served at least 25 balls before he decided to stop again. Like before, none of the balls had changed into a smash to Ryoma's dismay. What's worse is that now Kachiro is hurt badly from all the balls that have hit him and his whole body was full of pain that he collapsed.

"Ryoma this is enough", Kawamura finally decided to speak, "He'll get even more hurt if this keeps up." Not wanting to take any more chances, Takashi walked out so he can help move Kachiro to somewhere where he can rest.

But he was stopped by Momoshiro, who stepped forward and blocked him. "Momo?" said a confused Takashi. "Wait a minute Kawamura-sempai. Look at the guy. He's not done yet", Takeshi assured. He had given all of his confidence to Kachiro's will as he looked down at the boy, who miraculously is still moving.

"I...I can do it..." Kachiro boasted weakly, shakingly returning to his feet. Then he yelled out to Ryoma, "Don't give up! You have Samurai Nanjiro's abilities in you! I know you can do it!"

With Kachiro's brave assistance and his faith, Ryoma's confidence has now returned. He gripped onto his tennis racket. "_He's right...If Dad was able to do this...Then there's no reason why I can't!_" he mentally told himself. Then he called out to Momoshiro who is standing beside Kachiro, "Momo! Can you do me a favor and serve me a ball this time?"

Judging from the determined look in the prince's eyes, Momoshiro knew that he somehow has a plan. With a nod, Takeshi took a new ball from his pocket and held up his racket. "Don't know what you're thinking Echizen...but I bet it's something good!" he yelled out before tossing the ball up over his head. And when it came down, Momoshiro used his ultimate man strength and whacked the ball, sending it flying towards Ryoma.

Ryoma's eyes tracked the ball carefully and waited patiently to come to him. All eyes were on Ryoma, wondering what he's going to do this time.

Then their waiting was over when Ryoma moved and used his legs to jump high off the ground. While in the air, he twisted then untwisted his body before he swung and had the ball meet his racket. Right after the ball made connection, the force created what looks like a cyclone surrounding Ryoma out of nowhere. Yamato's eyes immediately widened with amazement once he saw the cyclone. "The cyclone...Could he have got it?" he asked himself.

Now controlling the ball in his grasp, Ryoma flung his arm along with his racket and returned the ball, sending it straight past Kachiro, and into the head of the target followed by a loud smash that created a big crater into the wall where it's pinned to.

The cyclone around Ryoma disappeared as the boy landed back on his feet, then silence came over the court while the other boys' jaws dropped in awe.

It was hard but he couldn't believe it, he actually managed to perform a bigger variation of the Cyclone Smash. Yamato witnessed this and couldn't be more impressed and proud. "Oh...now that's a big change", he remarked.

"I'm going to call this shot...Dragon Cyclone Smash", Ryoma declared.

Right then, Kikumaru and the other boys cheered at his success. "Wow! Ochibi did it!" Kikumaru cheered. "Amazing!" said Kawamura. "That's Echizen for you!" Momoshiro said with a grin.

Now Ryoma hadn't forgotten about the one important thing that helped him and made his way towards Kachiro, now panting and recovering from his bruises. Once he now stood in front of Kachiro, Ryoma looked down at him with a grateful smile. "Thanks...I couldn't have done it without you Kachiro", he said.

"...Ryoma..." said Kachiro with admiring eyes.

"Guys!" a familiar voice called out from the side.

Everyone turned to the court gates and saw Oishi running towards them when he was supposed to be staying at the hospital. "Oishi, what are you doing here?" Kikumaru was to first to ask, concerned about Oishi's condition, "You should be resting." As Oishi stopped to catch his breath, ignoring the pain in his middle from running.

"I know..." he panted, "But Sadaharu wanted me to tell you guys some news...Fuji finally woke up!"

Immediately everyone's faces lit up with surprise.

* * *

><p>All of the boys and Coach Yamato returned to the hospital to see Fuji wide awake and sitting up in his bed. Inui, having his idea proved successful was standing beside the genius.<p>

"Well I'll be darned..." Momoshiro quoted in awe, "It must've been some miracle that saved your life Fuji-sempai."

"It was thanks to all of you guys", said a grateful Fuji, pointing to the stand beside his bed that a bag of the donated blood was hanging from.

"That and with assistance of my special drink", Inui included. Then, to Kawamura's scare, Inui held up a glass of a nostalgic mud colored drink followed by the horrifying stench. The others who were seeing this drink for the first time made the same startled reaction Kawamura did.

"Wh-What is that?" asked Kikumaru nervously as he backed away from Inui, catching a whiff of the hideous drink's odor.

"This is my special Inui Golden Elixir Juice", said Inui proudly (and with a mischievous mad scientist grin), "It's guaranteed to contain the necessary nutrients and vitamins able to revive any athlete. I have whipped up another glass to give to Fuji while you were out training so to give him extra strength."

But this didn't change the other boys' opinions of the drink as they covered their noses and mouths, resisting the urge to throw up in the room.

"It actually really tastes good though", Fuji said pleasantly, "I'd recommend it." Even when he said this and is smiling about it, the boys had disgusted thoughts and couldn't believe how on earth Fuji would actually enjoy a drink like that and live to tell the tale. "You're kidding..." Eiji moaned, "A drink like that could kill a guy. I'm surprised that you're even awake Shusuke."

Ryoma had a sly idea in his head. "Just to make sure..." He turned and again picked up a pen left by a doctor on the table behind him and like before, threw it straight at Fuji's head.

To their relief, Fuji's instincts haven't changed a bit from the last time. This time, he actually caught the pen by his fingers a few inches before the tip even touched his face, this time, his eyes have opened up to them for the first time, revealing his sharp blue eyes. "You know, throwing things at others is getting very bothering", the genius said politely.

"So then, did you decided yet?" Kikumaru started to bring up their proposition from before and stopped to let Fuji answer.

It was quiet for a few seconds as all eyes and ears are on Shusuke sitting on the bed. Finally he looked up and smiled as usual. He declared, "Well it has been a while since I've played a good game of tennis. I'm in. After all, I do owe you guys alot for saving my life."

"I say it will be an interesting challenge", Inui then spoke, "I have been analyzing teams such as Higa and you'll be needing my data. I will join your team as well."

The other boys were immediately excited and gave out cheers of success.

And with that, Yamato walked up to their two new members with two jerseys, ready to be used. He then placed one jersey around Inui's shoulders and held out the second to Fuji, who took it willingly. "Well men, we're moving up", the coach announced, "We'll have our first challenge with Higa. Now we'll show the world a portion of your ultimate abilities." The seven men nodded with confidence as they thought ahead of their first match.

**_To Be Continued..._**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Note<span>**: Whew! Well good for Fuji! I wouldn't take an important character out of the story so early would I? But gasp, Kaidoh's joined up with the bad team!

Coming up, Seigaku's first obstacle in their dream begins starting with Team Higa! Who will win in the end? (This will be a little difficult for me to write down so it will take some time!)


	5. Seigaku vs Higa

**Alright, it's another chapter! We're finally getting to a chapter with action! Again, I had trouble trying to write this since one, my birthday was in this month, two, I never done a sports fanfic before and three, since the story I based this from was a baseball manga but I had to switch to tennis, so forgive me if something doesn't make sense in the game part. For this story, since we're going with a long and suspenseful match here, you'll find a lot of stuff that normally doesn't happen in tennis.**

**Please note that I've made several changes in this story from the original plot of Astro Kyudan and that I don't own any characters or story depicted here! For this first part of the game, I'm using Higa players that I've made up. The Higa Regulars will play in the next chapter.  
><strong>

**So far in our story, Team Seigaku has gained seven of their nine members after adding Fuji and Inui on the team. Now out of nowhere, Team Higa challenges our heroes to a high stakes game to test Team Seigaku's abilities. How will this match turn out?**

* * *

><p>Yudai Yamato, the coach of Team Seigaku, stood on the rooftop of a tall building, watching the sun set over the busy city below him. As he looked out, he thought about the challenge that awaits his boys on the next day, the day when they'll be facing against Higa in a tennis match. Now he looked at his hand that's holding his precious autographed tennis ball and read the writing that Samurai Nanjiro wrote under his name, 'Seigaku, Fight!'<p>

"Samurai Nanjiro-sensei", the coach spoke to himself, "The waiting has finally paid off. Tomorrow, seven of your chosen men will be facing their first test as they inherit your abilities. We shall show the world your accomplishment into this team."

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5 – Seigaku vs. Higa<strong>

The day of the game between Seigaku and Higa has finally arrived. All of Japan was turning on their TVs and radios to any sports channel that will broadcast the big match.

Since this match isn't official, the game will be held at an abandoned tennis stadium far out in the sea on one of Japan's neighboring small islands.

Once Seigaku and Higa arrived to the island in separate boats, the two teams reported straight to their locker rooms to prepare. The Seigaku boys were about done changing into their game uniforms.** (A/N: For this match, the jerseys are slightly different than the usual ones. Try to imagine that the shirts are mostly blue but with white stripes. Vice versa of the original jersey design.)**

Now Ryoma went to his locker so he can grab his hat, but something was bugging him as he stared into his locker. "He's not here yet..." he said to himself impatiently. Then to his teammates he asked, "What could be keeping him?"

All of the players were present in the room, but for no reason, the coach was absent. In fact, none of the boys had seen Yamato ever since they arrived on the island, which filled their heads with worry. "You think he called in sick?" Eiji guessed. "He didn't look sick during the ride here", Shuichiro recalled.

Then Kawamura spoke, "Oh I forgot. He gave me this before we left Tokyo." From his pocket, he took out an envelope with the words 'To the Team' written on the front. Ryoma curiously took the envelope and took out a letter that was inside. When he unfolded the paper, he instantly recognized Yamato's handwriting and started reading:

"'_You're all wondering why I'm not here. Before this game begins, you should know something. You seven carry the most important mission in this world and is destined to face off against fate.  
><em>

_I'm afraid I won't be of any help to any of you once this game begins and all of you step onto the court. You may all be the chosen members of Seigaku, but you haven't fully achieved the title nor gained the capabilities that proves you are the ultimate tennis men._

_Give all of your best and what you have in this match in order to wake the Seigaku spirit inside all of you and reveal your full strength as ultimate men. This will be a challenge that you must discover on your own. Once you win this match, you will fully understand what all this means. I'm putting all of my faith and trust in all of you. I plan to see all of you boys back on the Seigaku training courts after this game.  
><em>

_- Coach Yamato'"  
><em>

Once Ryoma finished reading, the rest of the team were speechless at their coach's words. "He...abandoned us?" said Kikumaru feeling lost and confused.

"What did he mean? Are we competing against ourselves?" Takashi wondered aloud.

"Who cares? What it means is that Coach abandoned us!" Momoshiro was the first to argue, "After all we showed him, does he think we don't have what it takes?" In a fit of short frustration, Momoshiro punched the door to his locker, creating a dent.

"Now come on Takeshi, Coach wouldn't think of us like that", said Oishi, defending their teacher, "I'm sure he has his reasons. And I'm definately certain that he isn't running away. Don't you all see? This is a test to show that we really are the ultimate tennis men."

That was when Kawamura started to feel pressure riding on this match. "But if we lose this match, we'll have failed and be getting nowhere", he said with little fear of the future.

"Don't you remember what Coach said in his message?" said Fuji, "We just have to trust in our capabilities. Just ask that to our birthmarks that connect us, the ones that Samurai Nanjiro had given us." When Fuji said this, all of the boys immediately touched the areas on their bodies where their birthmarks are located.

(**A/N: Let's review where the birthmarks are on our present players so far:**

**Ryoma - left forearm  
>Takeshi - right hand<br>Eiji - middle of chest  
>Shuichiro - right shoulder<br>Shusuke - middle of back  
>Takashi - back of neck<br>Sadaharu - right ankle)  
><strong>

"Shusuke's right you guys. We will win this match", Oishi stated. He then picked up a large folded cloth that's sitting on the bench beside him that they have brought with them from Tokyo. "Just wait...Once this game's finished, we'll see our team flag hanging over this stadium and prove to Coach and the other teams that we are ready enough to compete in the Nationals."

He then unfolded the cloth in his hands to reveal a majestic blue flag with a red cross and the word Seigaku written on the middle with their emblem, this is their official team flag. All of the boys gazed at their flag with confident nods and proud faces. Even Ryoma felt inspired and have faith in their teamwork that brought them here so far. The seven boys now imagined seeing their team flag waving on the pole that overlooks the tennis stadium, the symbol of their first victory.

* * *

><p>At this time, Coach Yamato did not plan to be present at the game as he said. Instead, he actually took a boat back to the Tokyo shore without anyone noticing. Now, still dressed in his team's uniform, Yamato now walked down an empty hallway in a building not much people know about but only he and some certain people know.<p>

He finally stopped in front of a door that is blocked with yellow caution tapes, telling all not to enter. Yamato stared at the sign over the door that reads, 'Restricted Archives. Do not enter'.

"Here we go", he said to himself. And with that, Yamato tugged and removed the yellow tapes to unblock the door and entered the correct code into a keypad lock beside the entrance. Once his code was confirmed correct, the door automatically slid open and Yamato entered the dark room all alone, with the door shutting behind him.

* * *

><p>The tennis stadium was set, however this game is going to be unusually different than a regular tennis game. First of all, there is not a single person sitting in the audience stands. This game was specially planned for only the tennis players to play without anyone distracting them in the audience.<p>

The only other people present besides the athletes are members from the TV station. Cameramen were scattered around the stadium to film and broadcast this spectating event. And then of course there is the commentator for the game and the referees that will observe the games.

The commentator began as cameras were starting to broadcast all over Japan, "To all tennis fans in Japan, a phenomenal event is taking place in the history of tennis. Today marks the first ever match of the newly created Team Seigaku, who will try and claim their title as the ultimate tennis team to take on the Americans. Their opponent will be Okinawa's Team Higa, led by their Coach Harumi Saotome. Should Team Seigaku win this match, they'll be proven to be a National contestant in the next Nationals tournament."

The seven members of Seigaku entered the stadium wearing their blue and white jerseys and lined up in front of their benches. **(I don't know what you call the place where the athletes sit under if they're not playing but for now I'll just call it bunkers or benches.) **From the other side of the court, Team Higa entered wearing purple sleeveless jerseys and standing tall and proud to their adversaries.

Seeing their opponents standing at the ready on the other side, Ryoma turned to his teammates and said, "Let's go." Following their youngest player, Team Seigaku ran out to the center of the courts so they can meet Team Higa face to face before the game starts. From their end, Saotome faced his boys as well. "Let's go get them", he said determinately as he and his boys ran out to the center as well. Well, all except one that is. Care to guess who?

"Fshuu..." said the left out player as he sat at the corner of their bench area in the shadows.

Both teams faced each other on the opposite sides of the net with firm and serious looks on their faces while some sneered or grinned mischievously.

Since Seigaku isn't without a captain at the moment and their coach missing, Ryoma and Shuichiro (since all agreed he acts like the mother of the team) volunteered to step in front of their line to greet Higa's coach and captain.

"Be sure to entertain us with your ultimate men abilities Seigaku", Kite insisted, looking down at Seigaku's youngest player.

The prince of tennis gave his cocky grin and pulled the brim of his cap down. "I'd be careful what you wish for but no problem", he assured, "As long as you show us your full strength in return."

Now Oishi took a glance down the line of Higa's team and saw that their numbers were way bigger than theirs since they have at least 30 men while Seigaku only has 7 at the present. Their appearance was also a concern to him as he saw their well fit arms and legs that were results of extreme workout. However Oishi can't let his worries get in the way and regained his confidence in his team.

At the referee's command, the teams properly bowed to each other before they returned to their respective sides and the match was about to begin.

"Now for this special against these two super teams, the tennis committee has arranged a unique change in the rules. Today's match will be split into 5 matches, each with 5 sets. It will up to the team's to decide who will play in each set.  
>And now the moment we've been waiting for, we start with Game 1, which will be singles. And walking onto the court is Team Seigaku's youngest member, Ryoma Echizen, followed by Team Higa's Taiki Fukuda."<p>

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, back on Tokyo, Yamato is now seated behind a computer console that looks as if it's used for a movie editing. On the desk, he laid out folders each labled with one of his seven players' names. These folders contain all the information Yamato has collected about the Seigaku boys, from appearances, history, profile and stats. In front of him, Yamato had placed Samurai Nanjiro's autographed ball on a special stand. On the walls of the dark room, there were picture frames of the legend Samurai Nanjiro.<p>

This room that Yamato shut himself in was none other than the secret office of Nanjiro Echizen. This is where Nanjiro would come and view all the different tennis matches of the world. The computer that Yamato is seated in front of has access to all the information concerning different tennis matches and players in any time from past to present.

Now that he's in here, Yamato pushed several switches on the console and the whole board lit up. Then after tapping some keys on the keyboard, the big screen in front of him lit up and showed the tennis stadium that Team Seigaku is playing on at this moment. Here he will watch his boys' game and see their progression. The players have now returned to their benches and the first set will begin.

"...Good luck boys", Yamato said, sitting back in his chair and watched with full attention.

* * *

><p>The game was finally set to begin.<p>

As Ryoma stood on his side of the court, jacket removed, and he looked out into the empty stadium to see the stands quiet and without a person in sight. All you can hear is the wind blowing across the court.

"An empty stadium...Just the way we like it", said the prince with a pleased smile, "I won't have to hold back."

From the team benches, Momoshiro decided to kick up some mood in the team. "Come on you guys!" he encouraged his teammates, "We'll win this match full on! Seigaku!"

"Fight!" his teammates around him cheered and yelled to get the team spirit up. From the court, Ryoma heard his team cheering and got motivated.

Team Higa's player Fukuda, a 2nd year from Higa, looked at Ryoma with a scoff. "What a shorty", he mumbled to himself, "He ain't scaring me."

Now the referee called out, "Game start! Echizen service play!"

Ryoma began to bounce the ball from his hand to the ground several times, both he and Fukuda staring at each other with caution. When he stopped bouncing, he had his racket in his right hand and tossed the ball up. Then he did a small jump and twisted his body in one jerk to serve the ball. Fukuda saw the ball coming but to his surprise, the ball came in much quicker than he expected as it reached the ground beside him in seconds.

But Fukuda noticed that the ball still spun wildly once it hit the ground and the next second shot up like a bullet straight for his face. Scared and at the last moment, he was forced to jerk his head away and allowed the ball to fly past him but lost his balance and fell on the ground.

"And there it is! Ryoma Echizen's special move, the Twist Serve!" the commentator spoke with amazement, "This move was one of the famous techniques handed down by the legendary Samurai Nanjiro himself. I guess this is the samurai's real son. Will Higa be able to return these fast serves?"

The referee called out, "15 – love!"

Fukuda caught his breath, wondering what kind of a serve was that. As he looked at Ryoma, the boy was giving him a clever smirk. This match had only begun. But Fukada regained his courage and pressed on. "He got lucky, but I won't miss this time", he stated as he went back into position.

Ryoma was serving again, and like before, he tossed the ball up, jumped a few inches from the ground and twisted his body to swing and hit the ball in the same manner, earning him an ace.

"30 – love!"

Ryoma continued the game with ease and Fukuda failed to return any of Ryoma's quick Twist Serve. In just a few minutes, the referee announced, "Game to Seigaku! 1 – 0!"

* * *

><p>Now in Kawagawa, Yukimura, Sanada and Renji were observing the big match of Seigaku from the TV in their club room. They have just witnessed Ryoma's easy win first game.<p>

"Those serves are going to be quite a problem by 55%" Renji calculated after watching the fast speed of the Twist Serve. "Even so", Sanada stated, "anyone, even ultimate men should have a weakness somewhere. Team Higa's coach insisted on competing against these boys and so knows the challenge that awaits them."

Renji then had a thought in mind and turned to Yukimura. "You sure it's wise to allow Higa to play against Seigaku all the same Captain? Team Rikkai of course was originally challenged first to a game against Seigaku", he mentioned.

"Well I think it's best for Higa's sake since they won't let go of their decision. Besides, we'll have the opportunity to know more about our new competitors if we have to have a future match", Yukimura answered as he watched the screen carefully.

* * *

><p>When the game came to 5-0, and Ryoma's gotten the lead in his control, Kikumaru decided to kick back and relax until he's up to play. From his spot where he and Oishi are watching, Eiji tried to do a hand stand for fun and to pass the time. Viewing the game upside down, Kikumaru witnessed Ryoma's success in getting the game at Seigaku's lead.<p>

"Gee, the game's just started and the kiddo's already on the win", he said. He then got himself upright and flopped on the ground beside Oishi. "Hey kiddo, don't hog all the fun!" he called out playfully, "We want to beat these guys in a game too you know!" Ryoma turned and replied to Kikumaru, "Don't worry senpai! I'm just warming them up!" Kikumaru pleased with his underclassman's choice of words and gave a laugh.

Back to the game, Ryoma eyed carefully at Fukada, who at this moment is under pressure. He hasn't won any points yet and is getting ticked.

"You okay there Fukuda?" Ryoma spoke to his opponent, "You look a little lost there. Maybe I should go a little easier on you?"

Annoyed by Ryoma's cockiness, Fukuda shouted back, "Don't get too careless already you!"

Ryoma now began a serve again and tossed the ball up. But this time he performed a regular serve just for the fun of it. Fukuda saw the ball coming slower than usual and ran to where it would've landed and this time managed to return one. Fukuda made sure that the ball would land somewhere on the left side of Ryoma so it'd be difficult since Ryoma has his racket in his right hand at the moment. "Heh, try and catch that shorty", Fukuda teased.

But he doesn't Ryoma too well as the boy in return grinned and merely shuffled to the left quickly. Then at the last moment, Ryoma tossed his racket into his left hand, which now when he extended his left arm, reached the ball in time to return it as a strong forehand. Fukuda was caught off guard by this clever technique that he wasn't able to stop the ball from landing on his side of the court.

"Game and match to Seigaku! 6 to love!" the referee announced.

Fukuda kicked the ground in frustration at his loss while the rest of Higa were speechless at Ryoma's ability. At the end of the match, Ryoma faced his opponent and said, "You still got ways to go." He ended by tipping his cap.

Coach Saotome recognized the technique that Ryoma had used as one of the same techniques that the famed tennis legend once used. "Nitoryu, the ability to play with either hand...So he really is that Samurai's kid", he said to himself.

Momoshiro got to his feet and shouted, "Way to go Ryoma!"

While the boys are cheering, Kachiro was busy on another task. He sat on the bench with a racket in one hand while polishing it with a clean rag.

* * *

><p>"2nd Match will be Singles", said the announcer, "Seigaku's Takashi Kawamura vs Higa's Teijo Hotaka."<p>

When his name was called, Takashi walked out onto the court but looked a little nervous. "You got this Taka!" Eiji called out.

Takashi and went up to the net so they can shake hands. "Uh, nice to be playing you", Takashi said politely yet quietly.

"Look at that guy. He's a wimp", was Hotaka's first thoughts about Kawamura the moment he saw him, "I can't believe he would be an ultimate man. This will be an easy win match."

Now after Takashi went to his spot on the court, he heard Fuji call out, "Hey Taka, don't forget your weapon now!" And from the benches, Fuji tossed him his racket that he accidentally left behind again.

"Oh thanks Shusuke."

Hotaka chuckled, humored by Takashi's forgetfulness and thought how easy this match will be. But little did Higa know that Seigaku's boys have small grins on their faces once Takashi caught his racket, for they are aware of what comes next. For right then, a fiery aura began to emerge from the used to be timid player.

"AHHHH! ALRIGHT! I'M BURNING!" he suddenly roared, "LOOK OUT!"

As expected, Hotaka got a surprise as he "What the-? He just changed into a different person!" But he couldn't let that scare him now.

Several minutes later, the match carried on. Hotaka had managed to win the first game, with Kawamura getting more pumped to defeat him. Now Kawamura had a good rally and continued yelling out comments and bragged on about how burning he is. Hotaka continuously returned every shot that Kawamura hits but needed a way to change the flow of the rally.

"Alright, let's see you return this!" he then called out. And he froze in one spot and on the next return, he hit the ball as hard as he can, making it heavy and zooming back on the opposite side. Fortunately Kawamura was right in the ball's path and raised his right arm with the racket, flames arising around him.

"BURNING!"

Takashi returned the shot with his super powerful forehand that sent the ball shooting across the court like a bullet. Hotaka ran to the spot where the ball is coming and received it easily. But once he did, he was overwhelmed by an insane strong force that's pushing against his racket, the power of Kawamura's ultimate strength.

"Ugh! So...So strong!"

Finally his hand couldn't hold it any longer that the racket snapped out of his hands with the ball and landed on the court.

"30-15!"

For the next points, Kawamura scored victoriously using the burning strength he has inherited from his ultimate man genes, continuously knocking the racket out of Hotaka's hand each time to earn points. Finally the referee announced, "Game and match to Seigaku! 6-1!"

Hotaka was gripping his sore arm that was the result of trying to overcome Takashi's strong returns and panting. "ON FIRE!" Kawamura yelled in victory, "DID YOU SEE MY BURNING POWER BABY?" Nearly spooking Hotaka completely, Inui had to step onto the court and snatch the racket out of Takashi's hands and returned him to normal.

* * *

><p>After a little 5 minute break, Seigaku looked at their progress so far and were pleased. "We're in the lead", Inui announced, taking down scores and points in his notebook. When he took a few sips of water from his water bottle, Kawamura now asked, "So who are they sending out now?"<p>

Right after he asked that, the announcer said the answer.

"Playing for Team Higa is...Kaoru Kaidoh."

When the name was heard, all of Team Seigaku's faces were set at attention as the turned their eyes to the court and watched as the one called Viper was making his way on the court.

He kept the jacket on as he tapped his racket against his open palm, waiting for his opponent to step out and play. Now each person in Seigaku wants the chance to play against Kaidoh first, but only one was to go. And that person who volunteered was Ryoma.

"If you don't mind senpais...I'll take him first", he requested, "He and I have a score to settle." Remembering that Ryoma and Kaidoh's match was interrupted back in Gunwa. This time, it was time to finish it. So then Oishi gave the nod of approval and Ryoma took his racket and set off. His teammates looked on, watching him with high hopes.

"You really think the Kiddo's going to be okay?" said a concerned Eiji, remembering how tough Kaidoh when he beat him and Oishi in their first encounter.

On the court, Kaoru Kaidoh stood facing Ryoma with a low hiss and a deep glare and Ryoma stared back.

"You see?" Ryoma spoke first, "I told you we will finish this later. Well here I am."

"So it seems", Kaoru replied, "But, I meant what I said before, you will have a taste of my Snake Shot and fall hard."

* * *

><p>The match between Ryoma and Kaoru Kaidoh began with Ryoma bouncing a ball on the court to start the first serve, tension building up. Kaidoh watched the ball being tossed up and Ryoma switching his racket to his right hand and remembered seeing this same procedure in Ryoma's first match. "The Twist Serve huh?" he thought in his head, "Don't you think I'm aware of that already?"<p>

Nevertheless, Ryoma proceeded and jumped up from the ground and twisted his body back and forth to hit the ball and sent it flying towards his side with speed. Kaidoh remained where he was but moved his arm at a certain angle. He watched the ball coming landing and spinning fast by his feet and managed to see its path heading towards his face. But using such amazing instincts, Kaidoh blocked the ball with his racket and it spun against the net instead of his face. Then with his long arm, Kaidoh swung his racket in a big swift whisk and sent the ball shooting back and landing on Ryoma's unguarded area.

"15-love!"

"No way!" Oishi said from the benches, startled, "He's able to return the Twist Serve?"

However Ryoma didn't seem to be surprised that his serve didn't work. Instead, he knows just the technique he should use, the one he learned recently for this special occasion. He then placed himself at a certain position and switched to his dominant hand.

The ball came smack into his racket and spun wildly, creating such winds on Ryoma's court.

Once Kaidoh saw Ryoma standing there and receiving the shot, he was confused. "What is he thinking?" he thought to himself, "This kid's going to use a volley on me? Che! That won't work against my shot." He watched Ryoma move his arm into a position that one uses when making a drive volley and allowed the ball to make contact with his racket. Ryoma made the ball spin against his net for a while, causing winds to blow around him.

"A drive volley won't work on me!" Kaidoh declared, raising his arm to execute the Snake Shot.

But then Kaidoh was startled when the winds turned ferocious on the opposite side of the court and it looks as if a cyclone was circling around Ryoma while the ball was still spinning against his racket. "A cyclone?" a puzzled Kaidoh spoke. He could barely see Ryoma, who was inside the eye of the storm. This cyclone was just the thing Ryoma used as a diversion so he proceeded with returning the ball straight past Kaidoh's sight.

The next second to Kaidoh's point of view, the ball shot out from the cyclone and landed in a smash on his side of the court and went past him like a flash.

"15-all!"

Kaidoh's reaction was the same as Ryoma's when he first witnessed this never before seen move. Soon the cyclone lifted and vanished to reveal Ryoma again. "What the heck...? What was that? A smash?" Kaidoh interrogated the boy.

"This is called Dragon Cyclone Twist", said Ryoma proudly, "I prepared it just for you."

Kaidoh is irked but is determined to bypass that smash. However in the next game, he saw the cyclone reappear and surrounding Ryoma as the boy is hidden in its winds and the ball randomly shot out and hit the ground again before he could catch it.

"30-15!"

And again, Ryoma won the next points with the Dragon Cyclone Twist that in minutes, the referee called out, "Game to Seigaku!"

Kaidoh was appalled and irritated that Ryoma's new smash is getting the best out of him so far. "You just got lucky Echizen", he hissed, "But wait until the next game." He then prepared to serve this one and bounced the ball in his hand for a while.

From Higa's benches, Saotome had recognized Ryoma's new technique that he used during the game. "So it's Samurai Nanjiro's famous Dragon Cyclone Twist huh?" he said to himself. Then after seconds of thinking, he called out to the referee, "Ref, time out!" As the game was put to a halt, Saotome rose from the bench and went up to Kaidoh.

"Excellent, you're holding out well Viper", said the coach as he patted his secret weapon's shoulder. "Don't get satisfied now", Kaidoh recommended, "It's still the middle of my game."

"I know that. Just hear me out for a moment", Saotome insisted. He led Kaidoh away from Echizen so he can speak to him privately behind his back.

"I suggest we drop this game and have you return in a few games or so", Saotome suggested. This was disappointing news for Kaidoh as he gave a sharp glare. "Excuse me?" he hissed, "Did you forget why I joined this team in the first place?"

But then Saotome gave him a useful advice, "Have you got a look at Echizen closely?"

Now at mention of this, Kaidoh looked over his shoulder and took a better look at Ryoma, who's being surrounded and cheered by his teammates. It was then Kaidoh realized that the boy seems to have a lot of sweat running down his face after just using it three times.

"You see? That smash is one that requires a lot of energy", Saotome explained, "I say, you let them win this one, but we'll have you come at him again when he's at his limit. Then you'll win."

Now the way he said this made more sense for Kaidoh, not to mention even more pleasing for him to crush Seigaku. Reluctant but following the coach's suggestion, Kaidoh scoffed and muttered, "Fine. Do whatever." With his player's approval, Saotome now turned to the referee and spoke, "Ref, we've decided to resign this set. Unfortunately my guy here is out of energy for now."

Since it was the coach's decision, the referee nodded and announced, "Game and match will go to Seigaku due to Higa resigning." This was startling yet pleasant news for Team Seigaku as they cheered again.

"Ha! Looks like Viper got scared of your new technique Ryoma!" Momoshiro mocked, "He turned tail in just one point!"

As Viper went back to his team's benches, he eyed Ryoma being surrounded and patted on the head by his teammates with a glare. "Enjoy it now Echizen...but I'll be back", he stated.

* * *

><p>It was finally time for Seigaku to start their first doubles match. And they know just the right people for the job. "Entering the court is Seigaku's Golden Pair, Eiji Kikumaru and Shuichiro Oishi", the announcer spoke through the speakers.<p>

Kikumaru and Oishi went onto the courts, ready for their first game. Their opponents are two 3rd years named Tanaka and Goto.

"Alright, fully charged!" Kikumaru said enthusiastically, jumping up and down in his place. He had been waiting for a while and is now ready to play.

On the other side, Tanaka and Goto analyzed the Golden Pair carefully. "We have to be careful with them Isamu", Tanaka advised, "These two were part of Nagoya Seitaku, one of the few teams to make it to the Semi-Nationals in just one try." His partner replied by giving a nod as they took their positions.

On Seigaku's side, Oishi stood in the rear with the ball in his left hand and Kikumaru stood near the front.

"Here we go Eiji", Oishi spoke. His partner nodded eagerly, awaiting for his chance. Oishi then tossed the ball up and served it.

Goto received the ball first and returned it. Eiji saw the ball coming and ran over to return it back. Now Tanaka was planning his next move. "I'll just hit it out of Kikumaru's reach", he said to himself as he received the ball and sent it at the opposite of where Kikumaru was. Since he was close to the net, Tanaka was confident that no one could follow such a fast shot like his. But to Tanaka's surprise, Kikumaru jumped to the side using his acrobatics and found the ball's path before it even went over the net. "Peek-a-boo! I see you!" he said playfully. And with that, he hit the ball and sent it slamming onto the opposite of where Tanaka was standing.

"15 – love!" the referee called out.

Tanaka and Goto were stunned by how quickly the Golden Pair had earned that point. Kikumaru looked at the two with a cocky chuckle. "You two better get ready", he advised, "You're about to witness the amazing acrobatics and smart wits of the Golden Pair!"

In a matter of minutes the referee announced, "Game to Seigaku! 1 to 0!"

Now while twirling his racket, Kikumaru faced Higa's coach and in a teasing voice, he called out, "Say Coach Saotome, all your players here seem to be talented! Do you have a special talent as well?" Ticked by Kikumaru's teasing, Saotome gave a disturbed but low growl as he tried to keep his cool.

After the Golden Pair gained two more won games, Oishi was preparing to serve. But before he did, he turned and looked to Kikumaru for a moment. In secret, Kikumaru exchanged a thumbs up behind his back, obviously some kind of a secret signal. Oishi understood what he's saying and replied by tapping the end of his racket on the ground three times for Kikumaru to hear.

On the other side, Goto tossed the ball and served. Again, Kikumaru followed the ball's path in an instant and returned it. As the ball headed back to Goto, he watched Kikumaru carefully at the same time. Now he saw the acrobatic player slightly leaning a little to the right side. "He's going to the right..." he told himself.

As his hunch was correct, Kikumaru bolted off to the right and left his left area open, letting Gota figure out a strategy in an instant. "Then I'll hit it left!" he stated, using a strong forehand to send the ball on that particular spot.

Again, there was no end to Kikumaru's surprises because the next second, he had changed direction and was right there to return the ball right in front of Gota's eyes. It was as if he appeared out of nowhere. "Too bad, so sad, see you next week!" Kikumaru said playfully.

"Huh? How did he get there-?" Goto exclaimed. The ball slipped past him and hit the ground.

"15-love!"

Eiji looked at Goto, twirling his racket and answered his question. "I fooled you!" he teased, "I went right on purpose so you'd hit there." Tanaka and Goto cursed under their breaths for being fooled.

From Seigaku's benches, Inui gave an impressed sound. "Kikumaru has the speed to do a record breaking shuttle run so he can travel one place to another in seconds. And he and Oishi's strategies are amazing." He then proceeded to write notes down in his notebook.

The Golden Pair continued their match with flying colors and the combined skills of Eiji's flexibility and Oishi's accuracy and analyzing.

"Hey Oishi, Daigoroh the bear falls down where?" Kikumaru called out in a sing-song voice.

This confused the Higa doubles team. "What the heck is he saying? What's Daigoroh?" Tanaka said in puzzlement. "Ignore him! Just focus!" his partner sternly urged thinking it's a trick.

Fortunately, Oishi knew exactly what Eiji meant. "_If I remember correctly, Daigoroh is Eiji's favorite teddy bear. And it always leans to the left_", he recalled in his head, having to have visited Eiji's house many times, "_Okay...left it is then._"

Cracking the code, Oishi waited for the ball to come towards him, not taking a step from his spot as he remained on the center. And when it came closer, Oishi returned it, aiming for the left side. Tanaka followed the ball and knew that he has to somehow keep the ball away from Eiji's reach. So he returned the ball and made it soar as a lob, high over their heads.

He had imagined that Eiji would never reach that high lob, until he was surprised by Eiji's next action. Kikumaru used his acrobatics to jump high into the air as if he's bouncing on the moon to match the same height as the ball.

"Oh crud!" Tanaka muttered, forgetting about Kikumaru's famous acrobatic play.

Kikumaru gave a playful chuckle. "Kikumaru Beam!"

His sharp volley shot down on Higa's side like a laser beam in a second. "Game to Seigaku! 5 games to love!"

Seigaku was now 5 games in the lead to 0 and on their last game.

Once again, Eiji took off from the ground and jumped into the air to return the ball. But suddenly when Kikumaru touched down, his lost his footing and struggled to get back on balance. "Uh oh!" he said suddenly. But unfortunately, Higa's doubles team noticed this as their chance.

"Ha! He tripped! That's our opening!" Tanaka told his partner.

"Good! I'll hit him right in the face!" Gota said willingly.

And he went up to the ball and swung it with a hard forehand. The ball was heading straight towards Eiji's own face with speed that it looked as if Eiji won't dodge it in time.

"...I don't think so", Kikumaru bragged all of a sudden, "I could've seen that one coming from a mile away!"

Thanks to his super vision, Eiji ducked his head further down so his face wasn't in the ball's path anymore, surprising Tanaka and Goto. But that wasn't the end. For instead of his head, Kikumaru raised his racket up from behind his head, and that was where the ball hit instead. Since he was close to the net, Eiji's return made the ball shoot on the empty spot right beside Goto, who wasn't expecting such a close return.

"Game and match to Seigaku! 6 games to 0!"

In response to their achievement, Ryoma and the other Seigaku members rose to their feet and cheered. "That's the Golden Pair for you", said Fuji. "Alright! Keep it up!" shouted Kawamura. "An excellent strategy", Inui complimented, "With their amazing doubles connection, they'll be recognized as National level doubles players."

Higa's players had a suffering defeat as they sulked back to their benches. "These two...what kind of doubles team are they?"

Kikumaru and Oishi bumped fists with each other and waved to their teammates. But then to Higa's coach and players that are sitting on the benches, Kikumaru playfully stuck his tongue out and winked while saying, "Nya!"

Saotome eyed Kikumaru with an irked mood. "Laugh while you still can boy", he warned under his breath, "But you won't be for long..."

* * *

><p>Momoshiro was next to go and prepared to play for the next singles game. He got up from his seat and looked down at his racket with a confident nod.<p>

"Here we go..."

"Uh, Momo?"

Takeshi stopped when he heard Kachiro calling him. He turned and saw the boy approaching him with a different racket in his hands that picked out of Takeshi's spare rackets. "I thought you could use this", the water boy suggested as he held out the racket to Takeshi. The 8th grader noticed that this racket has been specially polished by hand and is sparking clean. Amazed at Kachiro's work, Momoshiro stared at the racket in awe. "Really?" he asked, "It sure would be a waste."

Kachiro responded with a reassuring nod, eagerly wanting him to take it. Finally Momoshiro respected his generosity and switched rackets with him. He gave the shiny racket a few swings to get comfortable with it and was pleased. "Thanks kid", he said to Kachiro, "I won't let you down."

And with that, Momoshiro walked onto the court with high spirits and faced his opponent, a 2nd year named Yajima. "Alright, show me what you got Higa", Momoshiro called out, pointing his racket at his opponent.

A minute later, Momoshiro started the game with his first serve. Yajima managed to return and keep up with him for a while. Remembering about the previous game with the Golden Pair, Yajima thought of a plan. "This guy ain't that Kikumaru. So I guess it's safe to do this", he thought. With that, when the ball came to him again, Yujima forced the ball to shoot up in a lob, making it look impossible to catch.

But Momoshiro then used his legs and jumped high into the air with his racket flung back, startling Yujima. "No way! He can jump that high too?" he exclaimed.

In the air, Momoshiro called out, "Take this! Dunk Smash!" He slammed his racket on the ball and sent it straight crashing down on an unguarded area on his opponent's side with a loud boom as if it's a meteor.

"15-love!"

When he landed back on the ground, Momoshiro pointed a finger at and said with a cocky grin, "Boom."

He and Yujima were on a head to head fight as either player earns a game throughout minutes. But Momoshiro earned three games all ending with his Dunk Smash. Now the score was at 4-4.

The two players were stuck in a rally, not taking their eyes off the ball and their opponent. "Okay, let's have another one!" he said, ready to win with the Dunk Smash again. He jumped up high in the air with his racket held back as he approached the ball. When the ball was just close enough, Momo swung his racket down and made contact. But suddenly out of nowhere, Momo felt a tingling pain bugging him from his right hand and flinched. "What the-?"

Unfortunately he lost focus that his hand loosened and the ball had less power than he usual gives when it landed slower, making it simpler for Yajima to reach and hit it before it hit the ground. To Momo's dismay, he was still falling towards the ground and wasn't there in time to stop the ball from landing on his empty side.

"Game to Higa! 5 games to 4!"

Momoshiro landed on his feet and gave a huff of disappointment. "Dang it...That was weird", he thought to himself, "What was that I felt just now?" From the sidelines, he heard Eiji calling out, "Momo, you're doing good! Don't mind!" Taking his senpai's advice, Momo nodded and decided not to let it bother him for his next game.

But for no particular reason the same tingling pain from Momoshiro's right hand continued to bother him throughout the last game that his shots and smashes were a little off balance and led to a disappointing result.

"Game and match to Higa! 6 to 4!" the referee called out minutes later.

Depressed and ashamed at his loss, Momoshiro sulked back to the benches and hung his head while Higa cheered for their first set victory. But then Kikumaru approached the sad Momoshiro and patted his shoulders. "Don't mind! Don't mind!" he encouraged, trying to cheer Momo up, "You'll get them back in the next round. You'll see." Pleased with his senior's words, Momoshiro gave a small smile back and shared his thoughts.

"Yeah, what do I have to worry about?" he bragged, returning to his normal boastful self. To his fellow teammates he said, "They haven't seen the best of Team Seigaku yet!"

He then went to Kachiro and handed him his racket for him to hold onto. "You did an excellent job on the polish Kachiro", he complimented, "Keep it up. Your assistance helps this team out as well." He gave the water boy a pat on the shoulder.

Intrigued by Momo's words, Kachiro nodded eagerly. "That's right. Seigaku's going to show Higa who's the best", he joined in. And with that, he then set his focus on keeping Momo's racket polished and sparkling again while Momo looked at him, pleased at his confidence. But then he was still bugged by the strange sensation he felt during his game and looked down at his right hand again with puzzles in his head.

* * *

><p>"Seigaku is in the lead. They've just won 3 matches while Higa only wins 1. Team Seigaku has achieved a brilliant start of the match", the announcer spoke a while later. The next set is singles again. So the next person to play is Shusuke Fuji.<p>

Fuji calmly stepped onto the court by himself and faced his opponent, Kita Aizawa, first giving a head bow of greeting. "Let's have a good match", he requested delightfully. Aizawa analyzed Fuji head to toe. "This guy seems too calm", he pondered in his head, "Is he hiding something under that smile of his?"

As the two walked to their positions, some of Higa's players were making fun of Fuji. "Look at that guy. He has his eyes closed", one Higa player mocked from the benches. "Ain't he supposed to be a photographer artist?" another mentioned, "He shouldn't be on the court."

Aizawa bounced the ball in his palm and was going to begin the match. He then tossed the ball up and served. Fuji saw the ball's target and ran straight for there and easily returned it. The two were in a good rally for a while until Aizawa gripped his racket tight and did a hard drive volley.

It was then Fuji finally opened his eyes to reveal blue pupils giving a sharp stare as he saw the ball in a topspin. At the last moment, he raised his racket up behind him in a strange position and watched the ball come towards him. And at the right timing, Fuji swung a little forward and the ball made contact with his racket, where it spun along his net rapidly for a while. Then with a swift thrust Fuji sent the ball soaring back over the net.

The ball instantly dropped to the ground beside Aizawa. But instead of bouncing, he got a surprise to see the ball still has some spin left and rolled across the moment it touched the ground, earning Fuji a point.

"...Tsubame Gaeshi", said Fuji quietly, announcing the name of his counter strike to a stunned Aizawa.

"15-love!"

"What just happened there?" said Kawamura in amazement. "According to Coach, that's one of his special Triple Counters", said Oishi, "He's able to make the ball spin across instead of bouncing on the opponent's side of the court once he hits it."

"He's able to prepare that in just seconds?" said a stunned Momoshiro. "No wonder Shusuke's known as a genius", Kikumaru commented.

Fuji's match had continued faster than Ryoma's was, each point gained thanks to his Triple Counter. Aizawa couldn't return any of the balls that rolled across the court before he could get to them and was losing in minutes. "Dang it! There's just no way to break that Triple Counter!" he said in frustration.

"Game and match to Seigaku!" the referee announced 8 minutes later.

Fuji's opponent collapsed on his knees, shocked at the abilities of Fuji. Now the genius looked at the Higa player and said firmly, "You've tried your best. But...it's still too early to defeat me."

(At this moment, all girls watching the TV and who are fans of Fuji are now shrieking and cheering with excitement.)

* * *

><p>For the next game, Ryoma is joined with Kawamura and the Golden Pair for this 8 player set. On the other side were 4 new non Regulars. After what they've witnessed so far in the previous games, they were nervous that they don't have what it takes to beat these ultimate tennis men. Ryoma can see the fear in their eyes and see them gulping silently. "Hm...we got them at the ropes", he said pleasantly.<p>

From Higa's benches, many of the players were on the edge in their present score. Then one of Higa's regulars named Kai grew impatient and stood up to face the coach. "Coach, please allow me or one of us Regulars to play now!" he strongly urged, "At this rate, we'll be humiliated by these newbies!"

It was at that moment that Kai sparked an idea in Saotome's head. "Yes Kai you're right", he confirmed, "But I have to ask you and the other to be patient for now. For this, I have another idea. Just watch."

Then Saotome stood up from his seat and called out again, "Ref, stop the game for a minute!" He then walked up to the referee's chair and whispered something, leaving Ryoma full of questions.

Then for some reason, Ryoma saw one of their opponents named Ikeda walking out of the court and the referee calling out, "Switching players!"

"What? A replacement in the middle of my match?" said Ryoma with discouragement, "What a bad timing..."

From where he stood, Saotome now has a confident feeling of accomplishment. "Team Seigaku, now you will meet the first of our strong Regulars group", he announced, "Now see whether or not you're the ultimate men."

Over the speakers, Seigaku heard the announcer spoke, "Replacing for Team Higa's Souta Ikeda...Kei Tanishi."

Now none of the players from Team Seigaku have recalled hearing this name before on the roster list for Team Higa when they first read the list of names.

"Who?" said Team Seigaku altogether in puzzlement.

Right after they said that, Ryoma could've sworn that he nearly heard big heavy footsteps stomping from the echoing passageway that leads to Team Higa's locker room. He fixed his eyes on the tunnel to see a big shadowy figure making his way out, each step booming.

Finally Ryoma saw Higa's replacement emerging from the shadows and immediately his eyes widened as he saw the first of Higa's strongest Regulars that they have come face to face with.

"What the...?"

**_To Be Continued..._**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Ooh! Cliffhanger! What will Team Seigaku expect from this new change?

Sorry for all of you who wanted to see Tezuka. But unfortunately he doesn't appear until waay later in the story. Please be patient! Again, sorry if this came out way late!


	6. Big Bang

**The story so far: The game between Seigaku and Higa has commenced. Seigaku had a pretty good start, that is until Higa decided to exchange players during Ryoma's match...**

**Dun dun dun!**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 6 - Big Bang<span>**

Ryoma's eyes widened when the person who owned the stomping footsteps is coming out into the sunlight from Higa's tunnel.

"What the...?"**  
><strong>

Emerging from Higa's bunkers is Kei Tanishi, one of the team's Regulars. He is a tall and chubby preteen, who stomped onto the court with heavy footsteps. He was like a giant compared to Ryoma. The other Seigaku players were appalled by his appearance.

"You got to be kidding me..." said Momoshiro with wide eyes.

Fuji had a bad feeling inside his mind. "_So Higa's finally starting to get serious...This guy looks tough_", he said in his head, "_But I have a feeling that this is just the beginning of their back up plans."_

When they got a look at huge player, Oishi and Kikumaru were speechless at the first word to describe him. "Gosh he's...big", said Oishi nervously, "He must be pretty strong." Then Kikumaru called out to Ryoma, "Hey little guy, don't mind him! He's chubbier than he looks! So he might not move very fast!" Even with Kikumaru's encouragement, Ryoma still has a bad feeling about Tanishi and what he has in store for them.

Looking towards Ryoma with a smug grin, Tanishi pointed his racket at him. "Hey shrimp, you're going to go crying home to your mommy!" he barked with a hearty laugh. Not scared at this new change of players, Ryoma focused as he resumed the game. "You want to laugh?" he spoke, "Try to go against this."

He pulled the brim of his cap down, to show his seriousness and took out a ball to prepare to serve. He bounced it several times on the ground and held it in his hand. Then he tossed the ball up and whacked it, performing the uncatchable Twist Serve. It zoomed straight over the net and towards Tanishi who's standing in the rear. Ryoma expected Tanishi to somewhat move in response to catch it, but for some odd reason, the ball hit the ground by Tanishi's feet and shot past his head without any sort of movement from the big tennis player at all.

"15-love!"

Tanishi didn't follow Ryoma's serve so easily as he looked dumbfounded and wondered how did the ball pass by him in a second. Ryoma and the others behind him were confused. "Guess he can't follow it that easily for a Regular", Kikumaru predicted.

From that moment, Higa then started to throw taunts at Ryoma.

"Is that all you got Seigaku?"

"Go back to where you came from!"

"Losers!"

"What's with them now?" said an annoyed Momoshiro, "Their guy is the one who missed Ryoma's shot."

Unafraid thinking that Tanishi is probably dunce to play back, Ryoma had another ball ready in his hand. "I guess he won't be too much of a problem", he stated. He then tossed the ball up and served the Twist Serve again. But again, instead of running, Tanishi remained where he was and didn't stop the ball from bouncing by his feet and earning Seigaku a point again.

"30-love!"

Now here, Ryoma was getting impatient. "Is this guy trying to mock us or something?" he muttered, narrowing his eyes. Oishi was also a bit confused. "Strange...Why isn't he hitting it?" he thought.

"If you don't try and actually play, you're going to lose you know", Ryoma called out to Tanishi with another ball ready. He wants to have a good and fair match and he intends to see some action from another team's regular.

That was when finally Ryoma and the others saw movement coming from Tanishi. But to their startle Tanishi's action was by using the end of his racket's handle to slam down right in time on the ball and send it crashing into the ground with a huge noise that startle the other players and created a cloud of dust around him. Once the dust lifted, Seigaku got a shock when they saw the ball is now squashed in a tiny like crater due to Tanishi's strength.

"Heh...did you really think it was going to be that easy?" Tanishi spoke.

"40-love!"

* * *

><p>Yamato watched Tanishi from the secret control room and was stunned when he saw the big guy stopping Ryoma's Twist Serve so easily on the screen.<p>

He turned to the binder he borrowed from Inui, which contains data and information concerning all about each of Team Higa's members. After flipping through several pages, Yamato found the page with Tanishi's data and began reading. At the same time, he brought up on a computer more background information of Tanishi and compared data.

"Let's see...that Tanishi just used Shukuchiho", he read through the notes, "A technique to create a false impression and fool the opponent to look like they haven't moved.

"My word...Higa is all about martial arts in their sports huh?" he said with stunned eyes, "I wonder how Sadaharu was able to find this data."

* * *

><p>Back to the stadium, Ryoma is just on the brink of losing his patience. Annoyed at Tanishi toying with him after he stopped his Twist Serve so easily.<p>

His teammates could predict his thoughts and tried to make him reconsider his behavior.

"Ignore him Ryoma!" said Takashi.

"Don't let him get to you!" Fuji advised.

"Focus!" Oishi urged.

"Don't mind!" Eiji added.

But their words of warning didn't stop Ryoma. Now he was prepared to use the Dragon Cyclone Twist for this guy. He gripped his racket tightly and took out a ball. "Let's see you make fun of this..." he spoke coldly. He then tossed and served the Twist Serve once again.

Having to have seen the serve twice, Tanishi figured the ball's path and this time, ran to the spot where it should've hit and returned it. On the other side, Ryoma moved to the front area and raised his arm in a smash position and received the ball to create a huge spin on his racket. The winds picked up and a cyclone appeared around Ryoma again. "Dragon Cyclone Twist!" Ryoma called out. He then swung and made the ball shot out from a random spot out of the cyclone, zooming back over the net.

Ryoma expected the smash to work and the cyclone should've distracted Tanishi, but to his surprise, Tanishi had suddenly appeared close towards the net from his spot in the rear. "What the-? How did he get there so fast?" Ryoma thought wildly in his head. But now the ball was heading right for Tanishi as he raised his bulky arm and strengthened his muscles. And with his strong legs, Tanishi jumped several inches off the ground surprisingly for a guy his size.

"Big Bang!"

He swung his racket forward and the ball collided with his racket with a huge boom. The incredible strength of Tanishi sent the ball shooting double its speed, stronger than Kawamura's burning shot and flew high over the players' heads like a plane. Coach Saotome gave a hearty grin. "There it is, Tanishi's Big Bang", he said proudly.

Ryoma couldn't help but froze in his place, shocked that his newest technique has been returned. Now the ball is zooming across the court heading straight towards the rear area where the Golden Pair are. Kikumaru spotted the ball with his eyes and figured out its path in seconds.

"Right! This is where we come in!" said Eiji, excited to finally get the chance to show off his skills, "I'm going first Oishi!" Oishi responded with a nod as his partner like they always do.

Then in a flash, Kikumaru dashed off towards where Kawamura is standing. "Hey Taka, can you lend a hand?" he called out ahead of time. Kawamura immediately faced Kikumaru and held out his open palms for Kikumaru to step on and gave a grunt. "On fire!" he yelled. Using his incredible strength, he thrust Kikumaru straight into the air above them like a dart.

Eiji zoomed for the ball high up over the court and stretched out his arm with his racket and knew that he'll make it. "Ha! Got it!" he shouted happily.

But right when the ball made contact with his racket, Kikumaru got a surprise when the ball was followed by a huge uncontrollable force like a cannonball. The ball spun so wild and hard and felt heavy against his racket that Kikumaru's arm was getting sore and trembling.

"What the-? So strong...!" he muttered to himself. He tried to fight against the force, but it was too much. Finally in a blink of an eye, the ball somehow shot through his racket like a bullet.

Due to the great strength the ball had, Kikumaru was sent flying back, still in the air, and was sent out of the court until his back crashed into the wall that borders the court. From the impact, his racket snapped out of his hand and clattered on the ground.

Startled when he saw his partner slid down the wall and collapsed onto the court from a failed attempt, Oishi ran over and yelled, "Eiji! Eiji, are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah...I think..." Kikumaru replied, in a shaky voice.

When Oishi got to Kikumaru, he first got a shock when he saw that the net on Eiji's racket now has a hole in the middle where the ball smashed through, evidence of Tanishi's incredible strength. But what scared him is that Kikumaru's right hand was still trembling and is covered with red bruise marks from the intense shot and gripping his racket's handle too long and some of his skin was almost peeling off.

"Such...Such a strong power...I could barely hold it..." said Kikumaru with a small tremble in his voice, gripping his wrist with his uninjured hand to stop the shaking. After what he experienced, it was clear that he was appalled by this unseen power.

Seeing the condition his hand is, Oishi grew worried. "Eiji..." he started. Originally, he's planning to suggest telling the others that he has an injured hand. "Don't say anything Oishi", Kikumaru spoke out of nowhere, knowing Oishi's thoughts, "Everyone else has already too much on their minds...especially the little guy." He was looking forward at Ryoma, who fell on his knees, crushed that even his newest technique had failed. Oishi then understood that Eiji was doing this for Ryoma's sake.

Still, Oishi was more concerned about Eiji's condition and tried to deter him, "But Eiji..."

"Oishi please", Kikumaru said again desperately, "We can't let everyone worry about me at this time. I'll be fine. I promise."

"Hey Eiji, you okay?" Takashi called out from his position. He looked worried when he saw Kikumaru fall from his miss and couldn't see that Eiji was injured.

Immediately Eiji switched to a smile again, acting as if nothing happened to him. "No worries! I'm good!" he shouted back as he hid his right hand behind his back and waved with his left. As he started walking back to the benches, Oishi picked up Eiji's damaged racket and stared at the hole in the net. They now know not to underestimate the strength Tanishi has.

"Eiji..."

From their benches, Team Higa was mocking and laughing at Seigaku's failed attempt against Tanishi, especially Saotome. "Is this the team who call themselves the ultimate tennis team?" he taunted.

Fuji, Inui and Kawamura grew tired of listening to their opponents mocking their pride. When he and Oishi returned to the others, Kikumaru resumed to show a positive attitude and hid the pain his hand was sending as best as he can while hiding it in his pocket. "Don't mind! Don't mind!" he told his friends, "We can't let them scare us now!" But they still were concerned about Ryoma's feelings when they saw the boy slamming his fist to the ground in frustration.

* * *

><p>In the control room, Yamato was also startled at the fact that Tanishi was able to return the Dragon Cyclone Twist. "What skills Higa has possessed..." he commented to himself. The news announcer spoke, "What is this? This is the first time Echizen's Dragon Cyclone Twist has been stopped! What talents do Team Higa carry?"<p>

Yamato looked at the corner of the screen and saw Eiji hiding his injured hand from sight and grew concerned that he's not telling anyone. Then he watched Ryoma standing by himself in shame and frustration on the court.

"Ryoma, hang in there. Count on your teammates' abilities", he said with hope, "Team Seigaku will win."

* * *

><p>Elsewhere in a street tennis courts in Tokyo, several tennis players were watching the big game through a miniature TV set on a wall. They happen to be supporters of Team Seigaku and were listening carefully as the game continued. However recently, they were discouraged to see their team going down by Higa.<p>

"_Again, Tanishi's Big Bang passes Seigaku's reach!_" said the commentator, "_Team Higa has taken another set won._"

One of the players named Tomoya* gave a frustrated moan. "Darn that Higa!" he spat, "Don't you lose to them Seigaku!" His partner Kimiyoshi* agrees as well. "You said it", he said, "These guys are the ultimate tennis men."

"Hey, I bet you 1500 yen that Seigaku will win", one of their friends declared.

"Oh yeah? And I bet you 1600 yen that they'll win."

While they continued to cheer and watch the game, they were distracted that they didn't hear or see someone walking onto their court so freely. Seconds later, the group of boys got a startle when they heard a tennis ball being hit by a racket coming from behind them. The next thing they knew, the tennis ball zoomed in out of nowhere like a bullet and smashed into the small TV, breaking the glass and crashing onto the court.

"Hey! What the heck's your big deal punk?" Tomoya said angrily as he turned to the one responsible.

Standing several feet from the boys is a junior high boy wearing a baggy sports jacket over a black tank top, cargo shorts and sunglasses. He has short black hair and a faint mustache and small hair growing on his chin. He also held a racket over his right shoulder and glanced at the players with a cocky grin.

"If you slugs actually support such a team as Seigaku there, then you're all a bunch of doofuses", the newcomer taunted as he gave a sly grin, "Team Seigaku ain't no ultimate team. I say they're just a bunch of wannabes."

Ticked that they're being mocked and hearing their favorite team being insulted, Tomoya and his gang were over the edge. "What did you say you punk?" Tomoya growled under his breath. He then threw his racket down in anger and stomped towards the boy. "I'm going to shove those words up your mouth!"

He charged and threw a fist but the boy dodged and ducked to avoid the blows. Then the stranger grinned again as he used his leg to send his knee up into Tomoya's gut. With Tomoya stunned from the blow, the stranger used his left fist and knocked him out with a single punch.

In reaction, Kimiyoshi wanted to avenge his friend and he and the other boys charged as well. It seems that the stranger is outmatched since it's six against one, but he doesn't think so. "So lame..." he sighed. Then to use both his hands, the boy tossed his racket to the side and grabbed onto one of his opponent's collar and punched him. He then ducked to avoid a new punch and in return, kicked that person to the side before tossing the one he's holding to the ground. Now another came and pounced on the boy's back, hoping to strangle him, but the stranger had such strength to haul him off his back and slam him back on the ground. To the next two, the stranger kicked at one of their legs, tripping him and stepping on his stomach to knock the wind out while using his fists to rapidly punch the other down until he's knocked out.

Now all that's left is Kimiyoshi, who stood there stunned as his friends laid on the ground groaning in pain. In anger, he ran at the stranger and extended a fist but found it caught by the stranger so easily. "You call yourselves tennis players?" he said, with his sly eyes through his sunglasses, "I see that you're just weaklings." And to finish it, he punched Kimiyoshi's gut and used both fists together to slam them on top his head and he fell to the ground.

Being victorious over the gang, the boy in sunglasses chuckled to himself. "I assure you, we won't see each other again", he said to the unconscious tennis players on the ground. He then picked up his racket and walked away without another word. Who is this boy that seems to bear a grudge against Seigaku?

* * *

><p>When the game finally had their first break for the players to freshen up, the Seigaku athletes returned to their benches with tired and exaggerated sounds. Now since Tanishi took part in the next game, Higa's in the lead by one set.<p>

Some of the boys grabbed towels to wipe the sweat, some took water bottles and either drank a few gulps or dunked some drops on their faces to cool themselves off. "Ah...I'm beat", Kikumaru groaned as he collapsed on a seat and laid his head back. Kachiro was already prepared with a tray covered with glasses full of drinks for each player. As the athletes rested up, Kachiro approached them and offered each of them to take a glass. "Here, this should refresh you guys up", he insisted. "Oh, thank you Kachiro", said Takashi kindly.

Momoshiro took his glass and eyed at the drink with curiosity. "What's this? I've never seen this kind before", he said. "It's honey lime juice", said Oishi, "I asked Kachiro to make some for us. It helps when you're exhausted. So everyone please drink up." Since it was Oishi who said it, being the one who studied health, everyone took his word and took a sip.

Kikumaru was careful to use his left hand to hold his glass while he continued to hide his injured hand in his pocket so nobody could worry. He and the others took sips and was immediately refreshed followed by pleasant sighs. "Hey, this is pretty good", Fuji commented, "I'd recommend it." "Hmm, this may prove useful for my future drinks", Inui included. Now Kachiro noticed that Ryoma had walked off to the wall where the towels are hung and walked over to him.

"Oh Ryoma, there's one for you too", he insisted.

"Least this stuff's better than Inui's drink", Kikumaru said. The other boys, except for Inui nodded in agreement with small chuckles.

Suddenly the Regulars got a surprise when they heard a glass shatter on the ground a foot away from them. They looked to the side and found out that Ryoma had purposely threw his glass to the ground in a fit of anger, startling Kachiro.

"Hey what's your big deal Echizen?" Momoshiro said sternly, "The guy actually put a lot into preparing this just for us." Unfortunately Echizen wasn't in a pleasant mood to hear a lecture. He was still upset that his new technique didn't work as he faced the wall and wiped the sweat off his face with a towel.

Now Kikumaru didn't like the sullen atmosphere between Ryoma and the team, so he wanted to cheer things up. "Hey come on kiddo", he said to lighten the mood, "Don't be so fussy. We're all just bummed out at Higa's playing."

He then walked over towards Ryoma, who has his back turned to him, wanting to ignore him. But Kikumaru didn't stop and continued, "Just because that Tanishi guy can counter your new Dragon Cyclone Twist doesn't mean that you have to act like it's the end of the world. So let's just go back out there and show them what Team Seigaku is made of right?" He had high hopes that his motivation would help Ryoma forget about the past. But unfortunately this didn't work for Ryoma this time.

"Don't be acting so lively now", the youngest member retorted under his breath. Eiji gave a puzzled 'What?' before Ryoma faced him with upset eyes.

"After all, even if you say that I need to work on my playing, it was your fault for not showing good defense. That game could've been ours if you hadn't messed up and missed the ball back there", he said, reminding Eiji of his failure for not returning Tanishi's Big Bang earlier. He said this in a strict tone of voice that he never gave before to any of his friends.

This was sudden for Eiji, for he never expected Ryoma to say such criticism that he couldn't say anything in response. Those words hit him like daggers as he froze there speechless. Oishi now felt that it was too much. He came in and held Kikumaru back by the shoulders before it got worse. "Stop it!" he said to Ryoma to defend his friend, "It wasn't all Eiji's fault."

Even though he's thankful for his friend's support, Kikumaru patted Oishi's hand to usher him to calm down and that he's okay. Then without another word, Eiji sullenly went to the other side of the to be by himself. Oishi looked at Ryoma with a look before he followed after Eiji. None of the other teammates couldn't say anything to Ryoma after showing such charisma.

* * *

><p>Oishi went to where Eiji had retreated to be alone after hearing Echizen's harsh words. He was leaning against a wall, watching the courts with a down look and sighing to himself. "Is it true?" he asked himself, "Maybe it was my fault I missed it..."<p>

Shuichiro wanted to give comforting words that'll help. "Eiji...about what Ryoma said back there..." he started but couldn't find the words. But Kikumaru was the one who spoke instead. "Come on. Don't be mopey now Oishi", he energetically said. He was hiding his depression with his usual smile again.

"We don't want to show Higa that we're losing our minds now do we? Just have faith and we'll win for sure. You'll see."

It was clear that Kikumaru didn't want to see Oishi depressed for long, nor did he want to let his teammates get worried by the way things are.

Oishi was at first confident by Kikumaru's encouragement, but as he looked down and saw where Eiji had hidden his right hand in his pocket, troubled thoughts returned when he saw blood smearing through the fabric of the pocket. He then looked back up at Eiji's face and noticed that he's trying to hide the pain with a small flinch.

"Eiji..."

* * *

><p>Seigaku's troubles grew worse as the match continued on. Momoshiro's next game turned out to be his terrible fear as he lost again. It turns out that the same tingling pain from before had returned and bugged his right hand again like a short electric shock. His Dunk Smashes didn't go in properly, some bounced out the border line.<p>

To his worst fear, he eventually heard the referee call out, "Game and match to Higa!"

Higa cheered once more while Momoshiro clenched his right hand with the birthmark and kicked the ground. "Dang it...What is wrong with me?" he muttered in frustration. He slowly walked back to the benches with his head hung down again, unable to face his teammates at his failure.

Before Momo could say something, the team heard movement and saw Ryoma rising from his seat with his racket in hand, and a look of serious determination. As Ryoma departed the benches, Kikumaru decided to cheer him on again, forgetting about Ryoma's behavior with him from before. "Hey Kiddo, don't forget, you can always use your second secret weapon!" he suggested, hoping to at least shed some good in the situation.

This time, Ryoma accepted his senpai's advice and nodded to show his gratitude. "Do your best little guy!" Kikumaru cheered, ushering the others to join him. While the others joined Kikumaru, Kachiro had noticed that Momoshiro remained silent as he went out to the tunnel that leads to the lockers by himself.

* * *

><p>While Ryoma did his game, Momoshiro had departed quietly into the empty hallway of the stadium so he can be by himself. He was still depressed and was lost. When he got farther from the entrance that leads to the stadium, he stopped and leaned against the wall. His head hung down as he looked down at his racket. "I'm hopeless..." he mumbled.<p>

He then tossed his racket to the floor and it slid away from him. "Dang it!" he cursed as he pounded the wall in frustration.

While he was arguing with himself, someone came up and picked up the racket he dropped on purpose and walked up to him. "Momo-senpai?" he eagerly spoke to get his attention. Momo stopped pounding the wall and saw Kachiro standing there and holding his racket out to him. "Momo-senpai, you shouldn't give up", Kachiro encouraged, "Don't forget, you're an ultimate man. You're capable of performing great things too."

Momoshiro scoffed at himself. "Me? Boy are you wrong about me", he murmured doing a sarcastic chuckle. "No, you are an ultimate man", Kachiro implied, "Back when Ryoma was training for the Dragon Cyclone Twist move, don't you remember what happened? When I thought I had given it my all, I wanted to give up...But then you still had faith in me and helped me carry on."

Takeshi thought back and remembered the effort he put in to urge Kachiro to continue assisting Ryoma even when he took a lot of beating during the training. He then came back to the present and looked at his racket that Kachiro still is holding out. "This time...I'm putting my faith in you senpai", Kachiro announced. Finally, with his confidence returned, Momoshiro gladly took back his racket and said, "You're right. I think this kid here is more determined to win than I am", he said, referring to his racket as he held it tightly.

"You know Kachiro...Maybe you might be the better Seigaku man than me", he said as he patted the water boy's shoulder, "Are you sure you didn't learn those words from me or an old epic film?" Kachiro felt a little embarrassed. "No, I'm really serious Momo-senpai", the boy stated. Momoshiro only laughed, now cheered up.

* * *

><p>Back to the game, Ryoma was ready with another trick in mind that'll make up for his failed game last time. Now he is running towards the net. "This is revenge for the Dragon Twist Serve..." he proclaimed, "Drive B!" He then suddenly skidded across the court as he slid towards the net and hit the ball up close hard in a drive volley.<p>

Like the name, the ball bounced in two arcs like how a B is shaped and heading towards the baseline. "After it Tanishi!" Saotome yelled from his seat, "Make sure that you take the pride out of that Seigaku brat!"

Tanishi eyed the ball and followed its path for a while until he found created the perfect strategy that he made an unexpected move. "What the-? What's he doing?" said a bewildered Kikumaru. They watched as Tanishi quickly shifted and moved to the right side at a constant speed and was in front of the ball in a second.

"Big Bang!" he roared.

Tanishi once again jumped up from the ground and used his weight to return the ball at such a high speed. His shot zoomed straight for Ryoma, who was now stunned to move and return as it came closer and closer towards his face.

At the last moment, Ryoma had to dodge and leap out of the way to avoid the speeding ball and allowed it to crash into the wall behind him with a loud 'pow!'. When Ryoma looked behind him, smoke came from a big dent in the wall and the ball rolled out and bounced on the ground. The other Seigaku members stared with widened eyes and astonished expressions. "How...How did he keep up with the Drive B?" Kawamura asked.

Inui recalled writing something like this in his notes once and spoke, "Carioca Step...A step that allows Tanishi to move in constant speed. There's no end to what Higa has trained for." Fuji nodded. "I'm afraid that the worse is yet to come", he predicted, opening his eyes. Kikumaru could only look at their youngest member with worry.

"Ochibi..."

* * *

><p>Dan from Team Yamabuki went into the team's club room and saw that Akutsu wasn't there to view the game with Minami and Higashikata. "Huh? W-Where is Akutsu-senpai?" Dan asked the captain. "He said that he got bored and wanted some air", Kentaro replied. "If you ask me", Higashikata spoke, "I say he probably went to the rooftop again to smoke like he usually does."<p>

* * *

><p>Taking the vice-captain's theory, Dan went up to the rooftop of the school and sure enough, there was Akutsu, with his racket, practicing his swings.<p>

Instead of watching the TV, Akutsu had a small portable TV set up by his stuff that's set on the same game channel so he can continue keeping track of the game with Seigaku by listening. Dan saw the stern and serious game face Akutsu has as he swung hard with each swing, focused and determined. But somehow, Dan thought that maybe he's concerned about Kawamura.

"Senpai", the freshman bravely spoke, "Do you think...Do you think Seigaku will lose?"

Without turning around to answer him, Akutsu replied, "Don't be saying that now Dan. If Seigaku says what they say they are, they won't go down that easily. Just wait, I'm still hoping for a day when Yamabuki shall face them in a fair match."

While he continued swinging, Dan looked at the tiny screen of the TV when the commentator spoke, "Higa's Chinen, 3rd year Regular, starts the serve...Look how it goes! Kawamura runs and returns! He doesn't look like he can keep up with Higa's Shukuchiho for long though."

Dan saw Kawamura ran across the court in order to catch up the ball. But unfortunately he didn't have the time to look ahead and stop himself that he accidentally slammed into the wall of the court, startling the viewers, not realizing that they had tricked him to run off the court intentionally.

"Ah! Taka-san!" Dan cried out in panic. This startled Akutsu as he stopped his swinging and saw Kawamura fall hard on his back and is knocked out temporarily.

"Oh no! Seigaku's Takashi Kawamura is down!" the announcer spoke suddenly. On the screen, Momoshiro and Oishi were running up to Kawamura and checking if he's alright while Chinen stood there with a creepy and accomplished smile.

As he watched his former teammate getting helped back to his feet by Momo and Oishi, Akutsu couldn't help but at least hope that Kawamura will make it through. "Get up and fight Takashi...You know better than to fall in the midst of battle", he muttered to himself.

"Akutsu senpai?" Dan looked up to his senior eagerly.

"They'll win. I know it", Akutsu said firmly, "Takashi still owes me a match as he promised me. I know he's a man who doesn't go down on his word." Taking his senior's word, Dan nodded and Akutsu resumed to his swinging practice.

Little did they or Seigaku know that their troubles were only beginning...

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The pressure's on! Is Seigaku going to survive against the dangerous techniques of Team Higa? Find out in the next chapter!**

*** **The two street tennis players that were beaten up are the same ones that Ryoma and Momoshiro played doubles against in the anime.**  
><strong>


	7. Not Ultimate Men?

**Sorry if the playing and the scoring sounds confusing. I never really am an expert tennis after all.  
><strong>

**I don't own anything related to Prince of Tennis!**

**Previously, things are getting pretty intense for our heroes as the game gets more rough. How will they pull through?**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 7 <span>**

Just when Seigaku was having a good start in the match, it just got worse. Takashi's crash into the wall incident wasn't the end of Seigaku's troubles. From then on, more 'incidents' have been set on Seigaku as Higa's regulars began to take part in the next several matches and started to get violent and forceful than Seigaku had expected.

During his match, Oishi took a harsh blow to the head by a ball that caused a bleeding. Fortunately, he was still conscious enough to continue playing but now walks with bandages wrapped around his forehead.

Fuji was placed against Rin and continued . But then had a sneaky move and used the Shukuchiho to move closer without the tensai aware of it. When Fuji looked up and saw that Rin had came closer, he got startled. "What? How'd he get there so fast?" he thought, recalling that they were just standing more away from him a second ago.

Fuji first predicted that the ball will go for the left side of the court, so he started running there. As he ran, Rin had a clever move. He received and returned Fuji's ball, sending it in a sharp curve. "Habu!"

The ball knocked right into Fuji's foot as he ran and caused Fuji to trip and land on his back.

Kikumaru's match had him constantly use his acrobatics to catch the balls and resulting in him losing a bit of his stamina each round. They return shots at areas where Eiji is weak in getting to that it was becoming a struggle for him to keep up. "Dang it...These guys are hitting at spots that I hate", Kikumaru muttered to himself, "I'll just have to pull through..." He also winced as his right hand that was injured from before continues to give him pain the longer he holds onto his racket.

As he leaped across the court, he was ready to hit the ball with his racket and stretched his arm out. But he miscalculated in its path and the ball instead came in made contact with his right eye and knocked him off course. He landed on the ground and rolled until he landed on his front. Now Eiji glared at with one of his eyes bruised. "Darn them..." he cursed.

Inui's data tennis didn't help him so much as he continuously tried to predict the next movement. Unfortunately with Higa using the Shukuchiho, it was impossible to detect the next shot. Suddenly while calculating, Inui received a quick blow to the side of his head that knocked his glasses off his face. He fell to his knees and scoured the ground for his spectacles and found them. Now when he put his glasses back on, a few cracks were visible on the lens. "It's illogical..." he panted.

It just continues on. Momoshiro gets a ball whamming into his leg, Oishi making a leap but missed the ball, Kawamura slid across the court but the ball landed elsewhere, every game included someone from Seigaku missing a ball, getting knocked off his feet or receiving a painful hit from a ball.

Even Ryoma was getting tired to return all serves that he panted for breath with each shot he makes. His legs are nearly tired from running back and forth, side to side too much. Just then he got an unexpected moment when he saw a racket flying towards his face. To defend himself, Ryoma got up and started running to the back but couldn't avoid the pain that slammed into his back and landed on his front. "Echizen!" Momoshiro called out as he ran onto the court. He helped Ryoma up and the two saw Aragaki, who was the owner of the flying racket that was flung at Ryoma with a sneaky chuckle. "Oops", he said playfully, "Guess it must've slipped from my hands."

Momoshiro sneered at their cold playing and muttered, "Those punks..."

Higa watched their opponents slowly becoming vulnerable against their rising wins and powers with accomplishment. "Is this really the ultimate tennis team?" Kite spoke loudly for Seigaku to hear, "This is what you get when you face against Higa."

* * *

><p>In a small restaurant, several men were watching the game from the TV and were displeased at how Seigaku is playing right now.<p>

"What are they doing?" one man spoke, "They only have seven men on their team against a professional and bigger team."

"Do you think they are ultimate men after all?"

While the men were conversing with themselves, there was a certain customer sitting at a table by himself in the corner with his feet perched on the table. Fiddling with his soda was the same boy who attacked the tennis players on the street tennis courts. He overheard the men's discussion about Seigaku and scoffed to himself.

"Heh, there's no way that Seigaku are ultimate men", he boldly stated, "They know nothing about tennis."

* * *

><p>During the next round, Inui and the Golden Pair went out to play a three against three match. It took a while to convince Ryoma to take a break at least as the boy sat on the benches to recover his stamina. "Entering now is Team Higa's Captain, Eishirou Kite", the announcer spoke.<p>

The moment Seigaku didn't expected, the famed 'Hitman' has finally decided to enter a game. Kite entered the court quietly and stoic and took his place in the middle of Rin and Chinen. "Prepare yourselves Seigaku", the captain warned, "There's a reason why I'm nicknamed Hitman."

Inui took the front of their court and said to the Golden Pair, "Be careful. I haven't gotten full data on their captain quite yet." He had caution in his eyes, if you could see it. Oishi and Eiji understood the warning and were on their guard.

Oishi was starting the serve and tossed the ball up. Then with effort, he sent the ball flying onto Higa's side. Chinen spotted the ball and moved towards it quickly and returned it.

While Eiji and Oishi were doing the playing for now, Inui took the while to stand there and study Kite carefully. Rin got suspicious to Inui's stand still action as he returned the Golden Pair's shots. "What the heck is he doing just standing there?" he asked himself.

Inui analyzed the slightest bit of movement Kite would give and began his data tennis. "Probability of moving 1 foot to the left...78%", he calculated in his head. With that, Inui waited until the ball was returned back to them. This time he moved and approached the ball. Using the exact type of calculating, Inui positioned his arm to a place where he can add a good amount of speed into the ball, aiming for that one unguarded spot right in front of Kite's feet. "Super Sonic!" Inui announced his shot as he swung his racket. He made a super fast and uncatchable ball that sped over the net and was close to hitting the ground.

But to Inui's shock, Kite's racket appeared right underneath the ball in time. Now the ball was spinning rapidly on his racket as Kite slowly brought his racket up, careful not to let the ball drop or lose its spin. "Is that the fastest you got Inui?" the captain inquired, eyeing Sadaharu, who is still frozen after seeing his data tennis fail. And with that, Kite angled his arm and did a swift swing. "My turn", he announced, "Big Bang!" The name of the technique brought surprise to Inui. "Impossible...He's able to perform Big Bang too?" he said in puzzlement. But true enough, Kite flung his racket upwards and let the ball go up as if he's performing a serve. And with the ball still spinning in the air, Kite jumped and whacked the ball hard, sending it to the other side.

It has the same kind of power Tanishi had when he performed it earlier and is shooting over the net and passed Inui. "Eiji watch out!" Oishi warned when he saw the ball's target. When he saw the ball zooming straight for his face, Kikumaru suddenly leaned back at the last moment with such flexibility. The ball instead then skimmed across the surface of his stomach and chest and fortunately missed his head when he pulled it back at the right time. When it passed Kikumaru, it was all up to Oishi to catch the ball before it's too late. He ran over and managed to receive the ball with his racket but was startled at the amount of power it has left. Unfortunately his arms couldn't sustain the heavy ball and his racket was snapped out of Oishi's hands and clattered on the ground while the ball bounced inside the court.

"15 – love!" the referee called out.

Oishi and Inui were left stunned from what they just witnessed out of Kite. Kikumaru straightened himself up and was relieved that he avoided that strong shot at the right time.

"What a shot..." he said in awe.

Eiji reached up and wiped the sweat from his brow, but when he looked down at himself, he got a surprise. His jersey had somehow been cut right down the middle and split to look like a jacket rather than a shirt, revealing his bare front with his birthmark.

Eiji was startled and lost as he said, "Huh? How did this happen?" He then realized that Kite's shot from before had such speed and spin to cut through his shirt like a laser when it skimmed across his stomach.

"We got to watch out", Inui speculated, "That Hitman's serve is dangerous..."

* * *

><p>Further into the game, Inui and the Golden Pair tried their best to bring back the game, but they had trouble doing so while avoiding Kite's Big Bang shot at the same time. Finally, when the score was tied to the last game, Inui had to think of something, fast. He used the time while rallying to come up with a plan.<p>

"I need more time", he thought hard, "Enough time for us to come up with a plan before Kite unleashes the Big Bang again." Then he thought of a last minute idea. When the ball zoomed towards their side again, Inui at the last moment reached for his wristband and flicked it off his wrist in one swift second. "Probability for success...84%!"

He brought his arm back and used his forehand to perform the Super Sonic shot once again. This time, once he hit the ball, the ball was sent back in the opposite direction at an even faster speed than before. "With luck...I should be able to make it travel 170 km/h", Inui hypothesized in his head, hoping that it'll work. It was fast enough to pass Rin and Chinen without them being aware, but to Inui's misfortune, Kite was standing right there in the rear, racket ready in the position he does for the Big Bang.

While the ball was still traveling, Eiji noticed Kite's intention. "He's going to do it again", he said to his partner, "Oishi, we'll have to use the formation and confuse him." He was then about to walk towards the front of the net when Oishi had a bad hunch of this decision. When Eiji told him to prepare, the first thing he did was stare at Eiji's right hand. He remembered how bad it was injured and was afraid that this next move might be worse than before. He ran up and stopped Eiji by the arm. "Wait a minute Eiji, I don't think it's a good idea", he said with concern, "It's dangerous."

"What are you talking about Oishi? We have to!" Eiji insisted. He wanted to take another step but Oishi kept his hold on his arm, still declining. Now Eiji was trying to tug out of Oishi's grip but was having trouble.

"Oishi, let go! It's for the team!"

"You can't!"

Finally Eiji broke free from Oishi and stood to face him. "Why?" Eiji demanded to know.

But Oishi remained frozen in his spot and stared at Eiji's hand. Right now it was bleeding from having the skin worn out due to him gripping onto his racket with it. The danger of being in the front can mean Kikumaru will be a most likely target for Kite to aim at. And if he saw Eiji get hit by the Hitman's shot...

"Oishi!" Kikumaru called out again to get his attention, wanting his answer.

Finally Oishi couldn't bear it and instead sank to his knees in a state of confusion. "Eiji I...I just can't!" he said desperately to change Eiji's decision, "You'll get hurt even worse if you take the front..." He stared at the ground, scared and confused at what to do. Eiji was not expecting this sudden change in Oishi's behavior. "Oishi, pull yourself together!" he urged, "We'll lose the ball!" Unfortunately his encouragement didn't seem to be enough to convince Oishi. Then the pressure was rushing when Eiji turned and saw that Kite had already received the Super Sonic that Inui shot. Now Kite had jumped and performed the Big Bang, sending the ball high over the court at least as high as a house. Running out of time in order to catch the ball, Kikumaru has to take things in his own hands.

Deciding not to push Oishi any more, he firmly stated, "Alright then...You just leave it to me this time!" And with that, Eiji dropped his racket and ran off outside the court so he's at least 2 meters away from Oishi. "Eiji? What are-?" Oishi started. Facing Oishi from where he stood, Kikumaru then proclaimed, "It's time to use my newly invented Kikumaru acrobatic move!"

And with that, Kikumaru now ran with all his might, charging back to Oishi, who's scared and unsure of what's coming next, unable to move from his spot.

"Kikumaru Rocket!" Kikumaru yelled.

Using Shuichiro's shoulder as the extra boost he needs, Eiji stepped onto the shoulder and amazingly jumped off into the air like a rocket as if he's as light as a feather. He shot up to the sky towards the area where the ball will supposedly intersect with him. From the ground, Shuichiro thought that Eiji might just be able to reach the ball with his hand...until he remembered that Eiji left his racket on the ground purposely just a minute ago.

"Wait a minute...Eiji what are you planning to do?" Oishi shouted from the ground.

As it turns out, Eiji wasn't planning on catching it. Oishi then got a scare when he saw Eiji willingly allowed the ball instead to hit directly into his gut so his body can be used as an obstacle. From the impact, Eiji gave a painful yell as he threw his head back as the ball spun madly against his stomach. It felt twice as worse then someone punching you.

"Eiji!" a shocked Shuichiro cried out. Eiji felt the wind knocked out in his gut but braced himself as he endured the pain long enough for the ball to have its speed slowed down, teeth clamped tight together and moans of pain. Fortunately, the ball's impact into Eiji has caused it to change course and bounced off towards the ground on their side.

As Eiji fell towards earth, he yelled out, "Don't just stand there Oishi! Now's your chance to get back the point!" At first Shuichiro was scared to move from his spot.

"Eiji..."

"...Don't let them score!"

From Eiji's last and desperate sentence, Oishi soon gained the courage and proceeded with his friend's request. "I won't let them win!" he yelled he ran towards the spot where the ball might land. Then with all his strength, Oishi kicked off and dove to the ground. At the same time, Kikumaru had landed and rolled onto his front.

It was then Oishi slid across the court on his stomach he extended his right arm with the racket out as far as he can with one thought in mind. "Please...let me hit it!" he pleaded with fate. As everyone had their eyes on the ball, Oishi watched it miraculously landed right on his racket and he gave it a small flick to create a small lob.

To Oishi's amazement, the last minute volley lob had managed to make the ball bounce a centimeter over the net and landed on Higa's side.

"Game to Seigaku!" the referee called out.

At this news, Shuichiro was filled with such happy feeling as he slowly got back to his feet. "I...I got it..." he said in relief. But then he remembered about Kikumaru and turned to find him lying on his stomach on the other side of the court. "Eiji! I got it! Eiji!" Shuichiro yelled as he ran to his partner's side.

Pleased by this news, Kikumaru tried to push himself up. In a choked but pleased voice, he said, "See? What'd I tell you...?"

But he lost strength and collapsed again while clutching his stomach. Oishi turned him over and held him in his arms. "Eiji! Eiji!" Oishi called out as he shook him a little. Due to the impact he got in the stomach, Eiji coughed and spat out spit and little blood, worrying Oishi.

"Eiji...what made you do that? That ball could've killed you."

But despite his state, Eiji looked up at his friend with reassuring eyes. "Sorry 'bout that..." he said with a weak smile, "I...I had to try and get you going somehow...But you can bet...I'm not going down until I see Seigaku's flag hanging up there."

His partner had the same statement as they both looked up at the bare flag poles that stood over the stadium. From the center flag pole, they expect to see their team flag placed on there following their victory.

* * *

><p>At this time, all of Team Seigaku are covered in dirt, sweat and little blood. During their next game, none of them could even stand still.<p>

Unfortunately for them, it just got worse.

Ryoma limped out onto the court to play the next singles. And to his remorse, the one who stepped onto the court to face him was the Viper, back for another round. "Is there any reason why you losers are still here alive?" Viper said in annoyance. Just what Ryoma needed...more nuisance to tick him off. He got up to his feet with determination as he clenched his left hand around his racket handle.

"The team that loses its team spirit, is the one that will lose this match first", he answered Kaidoh proudly yet weakly, "If you want to take me out, then you'll have to break both my hands to do so." With his declaration to win clear, Ryoma had a ball ready in his free hand and grasped it tight. He took a different stance than when he uses the Twist Serve and bent his left foot firmly on the ground with the knee bent and his other leg far back. Then he tossed it up and used all his strength to jump forward. This time when he flung his racket down and hit the ball, the round object picked up a faster speed than the Twist Serve. "This is Magnum Serve!" Ryoma announced as the ball shot towards Kaidoh.

"Well then Echizen, you asked for it...Here's my Snake Shot!" Kaidoh thought in his head. His eyes traced the ball's path and he waited for the right moment...

And with that, Kaidoh approached the ball and swung his arm in a swift movement and sent the ball in a curvy path, over the net. Ryoma saw the ball swerve in a strange path but he was unaware of its speed as it moved in the air in a zig-zaggy path. He was distracted by its confusing path that he found out too late to move himself as the ball made a hard contact with his left shoulder. He felt himself flown back a little and landed on his back while his cap fell off his head.

The Seigaku players ran over to Ryoma when they saw him fall in his spot.

"Echizen!"

"Ryoma!"

"Ochibi!"

Oishi was the first to reach him and examined while everyone else came out. Eiji was still hurt from taking the ball into the stomach that he leaned on Takashi for support as the two limped over to the group. All of the boys crowded around Ryoma as Oishi slowly looked at Kaidoh with stern eyes. The vice-captain was almost losing his emotion as his anger against Kaidoh's playing grew.

"Why...Why can't you just compete fairly Kaidoh?" Oishi demanded of Kaidoh, "Why do all this harsh type of playing? Is it not too easy to play tennis with honor?"

"This is why I play tennis", Kaidoh declared, "I only want is to take all of you down with my techniques. If you all are getting scared of it, then you have no business playing on a tennis court!"

Momoshiro tightened his fists and had an urge to punch Kaidoh. But then a hand raised up and held him back by the edge of his jersey. Momoshiro turned and looked down and was surprised to see Ryoma still conscious and full of determination to continue. The others wanted him to not push it, but Ryoma pushed himself back to his feet, yet he was staggering. Kaidoh's eyes had surprise in them, not expecting Ryoma to actually have strength to stand up again.

Suddenly it was right then that Ryoma felt a jolt of pain coming from his left shoulder and yelled. He then collapsed again, scaring the others and was out cold. "Ryoma! What's wrong?" Takashi called out as Oishi knelt down and checked for the reason. It was when Oishi felt around Ryoma's shoulder blade that he stumbled upon a startling truth.

"Not good...A part his shoulder is broken..." said Oishi with shock. The other ultimate men gasped and their eyes widened. Hearing this, Kaidoh couldn't be more pleased as he grinned devilishly. "You might as well give up then", he told the group, "With your ace down, your team has no chance." With that, Kaidoh turned and departed from the court, leaving Seigaku with their troubles.

Eiji eyed Kaidoh walking out and looked down at Ryoma with determined eyes. He then spoke in an urging tone, "Come on...Now's not the time for a nap Ochibi. If you fall here, then we lose our team spirit and lose this game. Is that what you want? Well?" But when he didn't hear Ryoma respond, Eiji was losing patience.

Kawamura wanted to try and get Eiji to calm down when he heard sounds of irritation coming from the acrobat. "Eiji we understand how you feel, but we don't know for sure if we'll win or not", he said bravely. But that didn't calm Eiji down a bit. "Why are you guys getting unconfident all of a sudden?" he said in an upset tone that doesn't sound like him, "The match isn't over so why give up?"

"Can't you take it easy on the guy?" Momoshiro said sharply, "In case you didn't see, Ryoma's injured! He gave it all he got in this game! You're being too hard on him senpai!"

"If you think that's too hard on him, then maybe we aren't Ultimate Men at all!" Eiji then stated.

When he said this, all of them were silent. They looked down at the ground with mixed thoughts and confusion. Eiji looked down at Ryoma again and muttered, "If Ochibi has given it up completely...then looking at him like this makes me annoyed!" He kicked the ground to show his frustration.

But seeing Kikumaru being harsh on Ryoma for no complete reason has pushed Momoshiro far off the edge.

"Why you-!"

He got to his feet and grabbed the front of Kikumaru's torn jersey. "Say that again! I dare you!" Momoshiro demanded. He then tried to toss Kikumaru to the side but Kikumaru kept on his feet though a little wobbly. When Momo got a grip on Eiji's shirt again, the acrobat spoke firmly, "Ochibi's not the only one here! What about you? You can't lose confidence in yourself after messing up a few games!" It seems that Eiji has also somehow noticed Momoshiro's doubts in himself when he lost his previous games for no reason. Hearing enough and right before Momo could land a punch, Oishi finally had to run up and pull Kikumaru and Momoshiro apart. "Stop it you guys! We are a team!" he reminded, "We keep arguing like this amongst ourselves and we lose just as Higa wants us too!"

"We already lost it Oishi!" Kikumaru said in agony, "Let's face it...we lost our Seigaku spirit. We're useless." His words seemed to be true as none of the others made a sound for the while.

"Well, this isn't the right time to argue", Fuji then insisted, "Right now we need to take care of Echizen first." Knowing that Fuji's right, Momoshiro and Kawamura then carefully carried Ryoma from the ground and brought him back to the benches to care for his injury. Remaining on the court is Fuji and the Golden Pair. Eiji was still depressed as he hung his head. Oishi walked up to his partner and touched his shoulder.

"Eiji...there's no need to push yourself", Oishi encouraged, "I know how you feel." Eiji only looked at his partner sullenly and motioned to the side. "Come on..." he said softly, "We should at least go back." He then slowly walked towards the benches with Oishi following behind.

Fuji watched the two walk away. But then he noticed a smear of red visible on Eiji's shorts, mostly at the pocket where Eiji placed his right hand in and got suspicious. His eyes opened narrowly and wondered if that's blood smearing through the pocket. Looking up at the back of Eiji's head, Shusuke has concerned thoughts and wondered if the acrobat is hiding something.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Intense huh? But I did mention before that this story is going to be full of things not normal in tennis. Will Team Seigaku pull through and make a comeback? R &R please!  
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**Also here's some news, I am planning another POT fanfic that'll be based on a popular Asian drama and currently writing the 1st chapter. Keep an eye out when I post it up in a few days!  
><strong>


	8. Eiji's Burning Spirit

**Big thanks to Moonhera, suchrandomness, EmeraldRain25, and xiiaogurlz for your recent reviews! I don't own or created anything from Prince of Tennis!  
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**Previously on Team Seigaku, Higa's Okinawan martial arts technique styles prove to be more tougher than Seigaku thought, the team is losing bonds with each other. And worst of all, Ryoma now has been slightly injured and out of play for the while. What is Seigaku to do?**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 8 - Kikumaru's Burning Spirit<span>**

It all seemed to be a downfall for Seigaku at the state they're in. They've begun to lose trust and confidence in one another. At this time, all of their new jerseys were now dirty and had a few holes, unlike Kikumaru's, which still was ripped down the middle. And what makes it all difficult is that Ryoma is knocked out with an injury and put out of play.

Kachiro returned to Seigaku's bunker with a big icebox and quickly set it down. Kawamura looked inside and took out a good bagful of ice and placed the pack over Ryoma's injured spot and hoped for the best. Inui was thoroughly examining Ryoma for any other injuries with the first aid kit beside him. "Besides the broken collar and shoulder, it appears that he may be slightly bruised all over his body", he said grimly as he finished bandaging Ryoma's chest area. Being somewhat of a co-leader for the team, Oishi couldn't help but think this is partly his fault. "I should've told him to sit out earlier when I had the chance", he said with guilt, "I'm sorry Ryoma."

"Well it's too late for that now", said a mopey Momoshiro, sitting beside Ryoma. He was still depressed and seemed to be the one who lost all hope in winning, what with his friend down and injured.

Then to break the grim silence, Kikumaru then made a lightened sound. "Hoi hoi...Why are we being all moody?" he said as everyone looked over at him, "This game is now starting to sound like a graveyard." He then walked away from the group with his racket laid over his shoulder looking calm and relaxed. Everyone else wondered why he was acting like this at a time such as this. None of them saw where he's heading to, but Momoshiro didn't give a care. "That guy just doesn't know when to wake up and face reality", he muttered.

Oishi, confused than all of the others, faced the wall and sighed. "Coach...we're falling apart here", he said to himself. He had hoped that Yamato would be present to lead them to the right solution but unfortunately he isn't. Now Oishi placed a hand over his birthmark on his shoulder. "...Even my birthmark won't tell me anything...What do we do?"

Moving on with the game, there was still one problem the team must decide on. "Who's going to play the next match?" asked Fuji, immediately changing the subject, "We've got at least three minutes to decide."

Momoshiro then had a decision and held his racket tight. "Alright. I'm going to replace Echizen's spot for now", he said willingly. But before he could go and get warmed up, he was halted by Fuji. "Wait a minute Momo, you sit this one out", he recommended strongly, "I have a feeling it's best for now." The genius remembered of how Eiji mentioned in their recent team uproar of how Momo is having trouble with himself and felt that it's for the best.

Not wanting to start an argument on Momo's issue, Shusuke then turned to Inui, who was waiting for the next idea. "Sadaharu, maybe you should go instead", he suggested. Inui nodded. "I suppose so", he replied, "But for this, I may as well have to give it my all..." He then raised a hand and touched one of his wrist bands for some reason. He was then about to take it off his wrist when they heard a startled Oishi calling out, "Eiji!"

The others looked out on the court where Oishi was staring and got a surprise as well.

* * *

><p>Kikumaru has stepped onto the court by himself on his own free will without telling anyone. Sitting on his end of the court, he is now using bandage strips that he grabbed from the first aid kit just before he stepped out to wrap his injured hand with. It looked difficult but he was carefully covering up the injury as best as he can while bearing the sting. But that's not the only problem. Turns out Higa has sent out not one, but two of their players to play in this match. Kikumaru is going to have to play a two to one match.<p>

"What is he trying to do?" said a worried Kawamura. "Two against one? He can't beat a doubles team by himself", said Kachiro in panic.

"Probability of winning this match...0.3%" Inui stated grimly, narrowing his eyes.

Oishi has seen enough and ran out to stop Kikumaru from going any further with this risky decision. When he reached Kikumaru, Oishi held him by his shoulders and tried to urge him to return to the benches. "Eiji what are you doing? You're in no condition to play! Don't do this to yourself!" he pleaded.

But Kikumaru brushed Oishi's hands off his shoulders and forced him to stay back and leave him. "Go back Oishi...I can do this", he requested, "Besides, you and the others look beat up. You go and rest for the next match. Leave this to me." Even when he said this, Shuichiro can obviously tell that Eiji is as exhausted as he is, or even worse. When Eiji now tried to tighten the bandages into a knot with one pull, he flinched from the pain and hissed through his teeth.

Now for the first time, Momoshiro and the others noticed Kikumaru's hand covered in blood and realized the current condition it's in.

"Say...when did he hurt his hand?" asked Takashi with concern.

That was when Shusuke finally remembered about the shot Kikumaru tried to return when they were facing Tanishi and his suspicions were correct as to how he spotted blood smearing through Kikumaru's pocket earlier. "I should've seen it earlier...Could that have been...the result when he tried to receive Tanishi's shot from earlier?" he mentioned.

Momoshiro remembered too about that event and grew irritated. "Playing in his condition...What is he thinking? And taking on two opponents by himself. How can he think of protecting his image at a time like this?"

"Maybe..." said Fuji, "But...he was playing all this time despite his injury. He's putting his own life into this game for us. I bet he has experienced things where he mostly thinks of others rather than himself and getting to the point where he has to take things into his hands. It's amazing he's able to hide it under that cheerful smile he always gives."

Hearing this made Momo think back at the times where Kikumaru has motivated them time and time on yet never loses his confidence and continues on with the game.

Back on the court, Team Higa's players from the benches throw taunts and boos at Kikumaru.

"Give up already cat boy!"

"You're going to lose!"

"Go home!"

Before Oishi could persuade Kikumaru to step out again, the referee spoke, "The match has already been decided. Please exit the court if you're not playing." Oishi couldn't just leave his friend to play by himself, but he didn't want to risk breaking the rules. So with reluctance, Oishi sullenly walked off and returned to the benches by himself.

* * *

><p>Now with his hand wrapped, Kikumaru got to his feet. In order to start the match, he shouted and pointed his racket to his opponents on the other side, showing his tired but cocky grin, "Hey! You all better not soften up on me! The game's not over yet!"<p>

"Speak for yourself Kikumaru!" Kai shouted back.

One of the two who's playing against Kikumaru is Hirakoba. When he noticed that Kikumaru's hand is bandaged, he got some hesitating thoughts. "_What is he thinking?_" he thought, "_Even with his hand injured and most of his energy draining, he continues to try and play...What are you trying to do Eiji Kikumaru?_" He wondered if they should continue playing two on one like this or not.

"Hey Rin!" Kai spoke, "Don't show any mercy on him! We'll make Kikumaru eat his own words."

Kikumaru watched Rin, who has the ball, and waited cautiously for the serve with his eye and black eye **(A/N: Remember, he got hit in the eye previous chapter by a ball.)** As he did, he tried to hold onto his racket, fighting against the agonizing pain his right hand is enduring from gripping. "Just a little longer..." he told himself.

Finally he saw the ball in Rin's hand being tossed up and served to his direction. He ran and leaped using his acrobatic play, easily catching the ball with his racket and sending it back. Now the three players are stuck in a short rally.

Then when the ball was heading towards Kai, he did something unexpected. Kikumaru got a surprise as he saw Kai out of nowhere toss up his racket and caught the handle with his left hand, but with a reverse grip.

"Huh? He's a lefty?" Eiji thought in reaction to this.

Kai gave a chuckle and brought his racket forward to receive the ball. Kikumaru's eyes saw his arm positioned for the ball to hit towards the upper left of his side. Figuring that must be where the target is, Kikumaru dashed forward, determined to prevent the ball from going there. "Ha! You'll have to be faster to pass my vision!" he told Kai. But once he nearly reached the spot where he wanted to go, Eiji took another look at Kai and was confused to see that Kai's racket hadn't even touched the ball yet. Kai used the chance and allowed his racket to now hit the ball but changed direction and had it sent towards the opposite side of where Kikumaru was standing.

"15-love!"

Lost at what just happened, Kikumaru spoke, "What was that?" His question was answered when Kai spoke, "Did you saw my Viking Horn Kikumaru? With this, you won't be able to track down my shots from here on."

From the benches, Inui noticed that the Viking Horn and figured out its functions. "I see...Using the reverse grip, Kai is able to hit the ball later than Kikumaru would expect, faking that he'll hit for a certain side when he'll actually hit the opposite direction at the last minute", he explained to the team, "I have a feeling this will be difficult for Kikumaru to counter since his eyes can see the slightest bit of movement Kai makes first."

Several minutes later, or what seemed to be a few seconds to Kikumaru, the referee spoke, "Game to Higa! 1 to 0!"

Kikumaru's teammates watched with agony as Eiji served for the next round. He panted heavily while bouncing the ball for a while, eyes focused on his opponents. Then he tossed it up and swung, but unfortunately missed due to lack of concentration and his vision had started to blur.

"Fault!"

Eiji gave a disgruntled sound at his mistake. Everyone from Seigaku knew that Kikumaru's getting exhausted as he tried to wipe the sweat from his brow and taking several more deep breaths before he served again. On the next toss up, this time he hit the ball, but it ended up smacking into the net.

"Double Fault! Game to Higa! 2 to 0!"

Inui had a troubling look on his face when he saw the fault and Eiji's disappointed expression. "He's getting tired from the previous games", he analyzed, "His focus is wavering." Oishi couldn't help but worry for his partner's condition. He'd give anything to be on the court now to assist him, but he can't.

When it was Higa's serve again, things got difficult for Eiji again. Kai's reverse grip and Viking Horn continued to confuse Kikumaru as he missed Kai's shots throughout the first few games. Not to mention, the pressure of having to face two opponents made it worse. Even when Eiji successfully returns a ball, he is confused whether Rin or Kai will hit it. This resulted in Higa earning two more games while Kikumaru was still at 0. During those long tiring minutes, Kikumaru tried to use his acrobatics but continues to miss due to the Viking Horn and Higa's excellent martial art techniques. There were even times where he sees the ball, but it becomes blurry and his returns were off the path and sometimes hit the outside border.

2 games later, Eiji ran left to right, returning the balls as fast as he can. "Not good..." he thought, "...If this keeps up...I'll lose my energy...Then I'll let everyone down..." But his thinking was interrupted when he saw Kai preparing to receive his volley in the rear. Again, Eiji looked at the arm and saw Kai slightly positioning it to the right. That was the direction Kikumaru took off to. But alas, tricked by the stalling, Kai whacked the ball at the last moment and sent it to the far left. Realizing the change, Eiji used his foot to push off from the ground and turn sharply so he can run the other way. "I won't let you!" he yelled, running after the ball.

Desperately, he stretched his racket arm as far as he can but was disappointed that the ball past it by a centimeter. Losing balance, Eiji lost his step and fell onto the ground, which startled his teammates. When he landed on his stomach, Kikumaru's racket slipped out of his hand and slid away from him across the court. Immediately Oishi panicked and cried out, "Eiji!"

"Game to Higa! 5 to 0!"

Amused by his losing streak and clumsiness, Kai chuckled as he looked down at helpless a Kikumaru lying there on the ground. "Had enough already Kikumaru? You may as well give up", he recommended.

"Looks like he's helpless when it come to playing on your own", Kite commented from the bench. It seemed obvious to them that this match will go to Higa easily.

"Stop...Please stop Eiji", said Shuichiro desperately. He could do nothing but beg in his mind that Eiji might change his mind and forfeit on his own. "If Eiji doesn't earn at least one game, this goes to Higa", said Kawamura with concern.

Finally Oishi has seen enough and was ready to step onto the court and help Eiji, despite rules and all. "This has to stop!" he said determinately. Bit at that moment, Fuji saw something that made him rush up and hold Oishi back. "Wait a minute Oishi!" he insisted.

"Let go Shusuke!" Oishi demanded, struggling to get out there, "Eiji can't go on!"

"But wait!" Fuji said again, this time, more firmly to gain Oishi's attention, "Look again." He ushered Oishi to look on the court again and sure enough, everyone got a surprise.

Eiji wasn't down just yet as whole stadium spotted movement from the boy. He began crawling over to where his racket lay, very slowly. "You see?" said Fuji, still having faith in his friend, "He's still got some energy left. He continues to give us the urge to move on. Now we should trust him."

As Eiji slowly made his way to reach his racket, he said in effort, "...Not...Not yet..." When he managed to grab a hold of the handle again, he then started to get back to his wobbly feet with effort.

"It's...It's not over yet..." he told himself again while panting. He then placed a hand on his bare chest where his birthmark is and remembered the reason why it is there. "As long as I have this birthmark...I'm an ultimate tennis player who will play to the end", Kikumaru stated firmly to Higa, "I won't back down."

With that his friends watched him twirl his racket around his wrist and caught it, despite his injured hand. For the first time, he had a serious glare on his face, something that none of the other boys have seen before. "As our youngest teammate said before, the team that loses its team spirit will be the first to lose. Therefore, as long as I have my team's spirit in me, I'll win this game for my team!" Kikumaru declared. Oishi was astonished at his partner's perseverance and having to be his partner the longest, knew what this means. _"Eiji...he's really playing serious this time_", he thought. Momoshiro remembered Ryoma mentioning about their team spirit before he passed out and realized that Eiji was giving it his all in order to preserve that bond. "Eiji-senpai..."

Getting back to business, Eiji put his best game face on and stood on his end of the court, awaiting for Rin to serve. He looked through his squinted black eye and narrowed his good eye as he watched the ball being bounced up and down in Rin's hand before it was tossed up.

"Game to Seigaku! 5 to 1!"

The next game, Kikumaru again worked hard and used his acrobatics at his fullest. He leaped in the air to return a lob and it landed on an unguarded area.

Another point was earned later when Kikumaru used his speed to confuse Kai and Rin, going in the opposite direction of where he meant to go and returning in a flash to return the ball.

Afterwards, Eiji jumped and did a one handed cartwheel to return a ball, then a return from under his leg.

"Game to Seigaku! 5 to 3!"

In the next round, Higa got a surprise when Kikumaru then dashed towards the rear and out of the line. "What's he doing?" Rin thought quickly. Being an ultimate man, Kikumaru had the flexibility to jump and run up along the wall vertically.

"He-! He's scaling up the wall?"

Like a ninja, Eiji ran up until he stopped and kicked off from the surface hard so he's soaring forward in the air. "Too bad! So sad!" he called out, approaching the ball, "See you next week!" He then amazingly spun in the air before whacking his racket on the ball and made a quick smash. "Kikumaru Bazooka!"

The ball landed on Kai's unguarded side with a loud crash while he and Rin stood there stunned. Eiji did a flip before landing back on the ground. From the benches, Takashi said in amazement, "Amazing! Eiji's acrobatics are truly his ultimate man ability!"

"Game to Seigaku! 5 all!"

There was only one game left for the set to be done, and this last game will be the tiebreaker. Having to hold out on his own for the entire game, Kikumaru has sweat running down his upper body. "If Eiji gets this game, he'll win", said Takashi anxiously.

Eiji panted and thought, "Just a few more...Just a few more..." He hoped his body could cooperate for just a little more time. But then he saw the ball flying towards him and moved a step to the side to return it. On Higa's side, Kai was getting impatient. "How can this guy keep up against the two of us?" he said in annoyance. Without thinking, he recklessly hit the next ball that went straight forward just to let out his frustration.

Kikumaru saw his chance and decided to change the tide of the game. He then began to drag the tip of his racket along the ground as he walked, creating a nostalgic scene to the ultimate men. "You're wrong..." he said, referring to Kai's comment from before, "...I'm playing alone...I still have my friends playing alongside me..."

"That move..." Fuji mentioned, opening his eyes, "Is he going to use that?" Oishi's eyes were also on alert for that move was familiar mostly to him. "Is that my...?" he started.

Eiji then swung his racket up vertically and yelled out, "...Moon Ball!"

With effort, Eiji had surprisingly managed to make his own imitation of Oishi's Moon Volley and hit the ball straight up. It's not perfect, but the shot managed to send the ball sky high over their heads as if it's really heading for the moon. Team Seigaku rose to their feet, thrilled that this would give Kikumaru the chance to win while it's in the air.

"A lob! That gives him a chance!" Kawamura said excitedly.

But then he and the others noticed that Kikumaru had frozen in his place right after the lob. Nobody knew why he suddenly stopped moving his legs and his head's hung back so he's viewing the sky in a daze and panting heavily, hands hanging by his sides like weights.

"Hey, what gives?" said Momoshiro impatiently, "Why isn't he running?"

When Fuji looked down at Kikumaru's legs, he found them slightly quivering in their place, unwilling to move. That helped him figure out the startling truth. "Not good...He lost all his stamina", he said with a troubled face, "His legs don't have any more strength to run."

At this startling news, Takeshi and Takashi were worried that this had to happen at the very last moment when Kikumaru might have the chance to win. "But then...that means...?" Takeshi started but couldn't finish.

From the sidelines, Kite figured out the problem and saw their chance. "This is it Kai!" he called out, "Kikumaru is now vulnerable with his energy gone! Don't miss this!"

Unwilling to see their team fall apart, Momoshiro was the first to shout to Kikumaru. "Run! Run, senpai! Don't let it stop you! Run!" he yelled desperately. Then without a second to waste, Momo jumped over the wall around their benches and was standing just outside the court line. There, he continued to shout to Eiji. Then, moved by Takeshi's encouragement, Oishi joined him, and so did the others as they too went over and stood beside Momo.

"Go Eiji! You can do it!"

"Don't give up!"

"Come on Eiji! Fight it!"

Hearing his teammates calling out to him from the side, Eiji's senses have returned to him. He realized that he can't miss this shot to win. Finally he started limping to the right side of the court. Each step seemed slow and heavy as he dragged them along the ground. His vision started to get blurry as the area started to spin in his point of view.

Finally Kai saw the ball coming down and was the first to hit it on their side and it flew over the net to Eiji's side. It looked like it was moving slowly to Eiji's eyes as he made an attempt to dash towards it.

"I...I must win!" he kept telling himself.

The ball was getting closer...His friends' voices became echoes...He heard his heavy breathing...His heart was pounding hard in his chest...

"...I must win!" the thought rang in his head.

With all the power left in his legs, Eiji kicked off from the ground and pounced forward, eagerly hoping to reach the ball in time. Finally he gave one big swing, letting fate decide the outcome and couldn't tell whether or not he hit it.

The next second later, Eiji is seen rolling across the court until he stopped on his side.

Using his arms, Eiji pushed himself up and quickly looked up with hope. But he received disappointment when he saw that the ball hadn't made it over the net and is now rolling past him on his side of the court. "Game and match to Higa!" the referee announced.

Team Higa was now cheering, mocking at Kikumaru's failure.

Eiji was left stricken with shame and disappointment with himself as he didn't move from where he lay. "I...I lost it..." he said in sorrow. Exhausted and completely out of energy, his arms' strength gave away and he collapsed face down.

Oishi and the others immediately dashed out of the bunker and ran onto the court and to their teammate. "Eiji!" Oishi yelled as he knelt beside Kikumaru. As he cradled Eiji in his arms and raised his head, Oishi heard his hoarse breathing to catch his breath and sweat falling down his face. "Eiji...you gave all your spirit just to give us the encouragement we need to move on...the team spirit that we were lacking", said a grateful Oishi, almost to the point of crying.

Now realizing that Eiji had planned this from the start, Momoshiro sank to his knees beside the two and looked down at his senior in regret. "Eiji-senpai...I was wrong about you", he confessed, "When you were being hard on Echizen...you were really trying to bring the Seigaku spirit back in us. I...I..." He didn't say it, but he bowed his head and faced the ground as a sign begging forgiveness. To respond to Momoshiro's kindness, Eiji gave a small smile and said quietly, "Heh...Nothing to it really...It was my pleasure..."

Fuji knelt in front of Kikumaru and patted his shoulder. "Eiji my friend, you've got the heart and Seigaku's spirit flowing through you", he spoke with respect. Then Oishi tucked his arms under Eiji's while Fuji held his legs and together they lifted Kikumaru off the ground.

"Come on guys", said Oishi, "Let's finish this game till the end, for all the effort Eiji put in. All of us Ultimate Men must be united." The others nodded with agreement, including Eiji.

Then they returned with Kikumaru and carried him back to the bunkers so he could rest.

* * *

><p>Returning to the game, it was decided that it was going to be another doubles match. This time, Oishi and Kawamura volunteered to play together for this match. Before heading out, Kawamura did several practice swings with his racket to get his strength going. After what Kikumaru did for them during the previous match, he was fired up and ready for anything, as well as Oishi.<p>

Now as Oishi followed Takashi out onto the court, he then began to sing something to himself, a song that he made up in the past:

_"A wind sways to a green mountain_  
><em>The school of youth stand<em>  
><em>From pure wisdom's fount<em>  
><em>Free spirit flows out<em>  
><em>Being full of young ardour<em>  
><em>Healthy youths' spirits are high."<em>

Oishi decided that the song he just sang will be the perfect song to be their team's anthem. Taking the words into his mind, he then arrived on the rear of the court with a positive attitude. For this match, Oishi has decided to use Eiji's racket, so he can feel Eiji assisting him spiritually through their bond. There was one goal in his mind right now, dealing with the one who injured Kikumaru in the first place. Oishi stared at his one target, Tanishi. Right now the big chubby player stood on the opposite of the court, with a menacing grin as he tapped his racket onto his free palm.

Oishi looked down at his friend's racket that he's holding, which the handle was still stained with Eiji's blood from his hand. "_Eiji...let's take him down together_", he said in his mind as he gripped the racket handle tight.

From the team's benches, Eiji was laid down on a bench to rest with a wet towel placed on his forehead to cool off. Fuji sat beside Kikumaru, who turned his head slightly to the side to watch the game from where he is. "Go get them Oishi..." he said quietly to wish him luck.

Before he could play, Kawamura first placed his racket under his armpit and out of nowhere, grabbed and tore off his jersey's sleeves. Then using the sleeves together, he tied them around his head so it will act as a headband. Now, gripping his racket's handle tightly, Takashi was filled with energy and instantly slipped into his second and fearsome personality.

"Now come at me Higa! Feel my burning aura baby!" he yelled. Then he pointed his racket straight at Tanishi, who's positioned at the rear and spoke, "Tanishi...you're mine!"

"Don't let him scare you Tanishi!" Saotome ordered from the bench, "He only looks big on the outside!"

Aragaki was the first to toss up the ball and serve. Oishi tracked the ball's path and figured out a strategy. "Taka, the front!" he told his partner. Takashi got the message and ran up to the front and stopped. Now he was close enough and returned the ball with a swift forehand. "On fire!" he yelled. Remembering how strong Kawamura's forehand is from a previous game, Tomoya needed to get the ball further from Kawamura. With that, he approached the ball and swung his racket to force the ball to fly past Kawamura's reach.

But he then realized that it was the wrong move, for he had forgotten about Kawamura's partner, who was just prepared for an attack like this. "Oh crud! I forgot about Oishi!" Tomoya panicked. Too late for that, Oishi dragged his racket's tip along the ground just as Kikumaru had done recently and flung his racket up.

"Moon Volley!"

The real Moon Volley sent the ball flying high over the court and curved to land straight on the borderline.

"15-love!"

In the next round, Tomoya served and the two teams were stuck in a head to head rally. Now Tanishi kept an eye on Oishi this time and waited until he saw the vice-captain drag his racket to receive the ball again. Tanishi knew exactly what comes next and got an idea. "He's going to use that Moon Volley again", he told his teammates, "Leave this one to me!" His teammates understood and stepped out of Tanishi's way. Oishi now hit the ball and performed Moon Volley as expected, sending it in a high arc.

Tanishi saw the ball coming down and knew exactly what to use. "I guess you didn't learn your lesson from the cat boy", he said slyly, "Big Bang!" He jumped and used all his body to whack the ball in a slice and once again the powerful ball was heading back to Seigaku's side.

But as it turns out, this is exactly what Oishi had planned from the start. "This is it Taka!" he called out, "It's all on you!" Getting the heads up, Takashi stomped towards the net and placed his feet firmly in place. He then crouched down so he could strengthen his position with his left hand placed on the ground and watched the ball come closer each second. Then he strengthened his right arm so its muscles and veins would show rising against his skin.

The Big Bang shot zoomed in and slammed into Takashi's racket but thanks to Taka's strength, his feet was able to keep himself in place and withstand the force.

As it spun rapidly against his racket, with the power building up, Takashi made it build up more power as the ball began to look as if it's engulfed by massive flames. Between his teeth, Kawamura proclaimed, "This is for you...Eiji!" And focusing all his strength into his right arm, he gripped the handle with both hands and yelled out, "HADOUKYUU!"

With one ferocious swing and his ultimate man strength, Kawamura forced the fiery ball to shoot like a cannonball back across the court, leaving a trail of fire, over the net, and right for Tanishi.

The huge player saw the incoming ball and held his racket in front of himself. The ball made impact with his racket, but it was followed by a huge force like a rampaging bull charging into him. Tanishi then got an unexpected surprise when he felt himself flying backwards until he crashed right into the wall with a loud boom. He had created a big and deep dent and damaged the wall and is knocked out cold. And as for the ball, thanks to Tanishi's body, the ball had bounced off and landed on the Higa's side of the court after the crash.

Higa was appalled and silent at the sight of one of their best players being taken down by a guy like Kawamura who was all shy and nervous just minutes before the match started and were a little scared.

"Due to Higa's player unable to continue the game, this match goes to Seigaku!" the referee announced.

"Alright! BURNING!" Kawamura victoriously shouted while pumping his fists in the air. Oishi gave him an accomplished nod as he stared at Tanishi once more.

"Eiji...that takes care of him", Oishi declared. Accomplished with defeating the giant, Oishi and Kawamura then started their walk towards the benches, where the rest of their teammates were waiting and cheering for them.

Among them, Fuji had helped Kikumaru to his feet just a minute ago, so he was able to see Oishi and Kawamura successful in taking down Tanishi just now. "They did it", said Fuji happily, hugging Eiji around the shoulder with one arm. "Heh...that's my partner", Kikumaru boasted proudly with a weak smile.

* * *

><p><em> Ryoma felt himself lying in a strange world that seemed quiet and yet so soothing and peaceful as if he's floating in space. He opened his eyes and found himself in a white world, nothing else present. <em>_He then began to hear a faint male voice calling out, "Ryoma...Ryoma..."_

"_Am I...dreaming?" Ryoma asked himself._

_"Not quite", said a voice._

_Ryoma managed to see a man walking up to him in the corner of his eye and slowly raised his head to see better._ "_Ryoma...why are you laying down there like a dead guy?" the man spoke with a similar cocky attitude as Ryoma's, "Don't you have a game to play?"_

_The moment he saw the man's face, Ryoma was struck with surprise. He slowly got up to his feet, trying to mind the pain in his left shoulder. _

_The man has black messy hair that's long and tied in a high ponytail so that he looked like a samurai from the olden age. He was none other than the one who inspired the creation of Team Seigaku, Nanjiro Echizen, or rather, the spirit of him. But for Ryoma, he had another name to call him by._

"_...Dad..."_

_Nanjiro wore his old US Open uniform, the one he previously wore before his death. It has been too long since Ryoma last saw his father, now for the first time, he is able to speak with the ghost of Nanjiro.  
><em>

"_The game's not over Ryoma", said his father, "You have long ways to go before you compete in the US Open. This match is your first obstacle to overcome. Now hurry and get up."  
><em>

_But Ryoma still was handicapped as he touched his injured left shoulder in regret and felt the pain._ "_With this busted shoulder...I have no chance", he admitted in defeat. _

_But Nanjiro wasn't letting his son give up that easily as he placed his fists on his hips. _"_Oh? And since when does my son loses his confidence that easily just because of a busted shoulder?" he inquired, "You still have your right hand don't you? But you have something more than that...the will and desire to play. __If you have the will to continue playing, then the energy of the ultimate man inside of you will help to whatever needs you have. For this instance, ask for it to give energy to your shoulder and it will do so and give your body more capabilities than before."_

_All this sounded so new to Ryoma. Nothing like what Nanjiro said has ever been accomplished before in tennis. "Are you...Are you saying there's a new technique somewhere?" he asked anxiously to his father. The response was a sly grin from Nanjiro._

_"Not just a technique Ryoma, more like a three part technique. One, first remember the feeling of your first enjoyment in tennis. Two, let the excitement fill your body. Three, just play", the samurai answered, "The most amazing things happen to those who enjoy tennis and uses that feeling when they play just for fun rather than winning. Can you feel that Ryoma?"_

_Ryoma looked down at himself and had a moment to feel what's happening in his body. He went back and tried to remember the sensation he experienced when he first played tennis as a little boy. But something was bothering him. "Even so, would it work against someone like Kaidoh?" he asked himself. He heard Nanjiro chuckling in amusement. "The Samurai's Eye...You must have already mastered it since you are my son. I suggest you use that and learn something from your old man for once", he hinted, "After all, they don't call me the Samurai from the land of the Sakura for nothing."_

_Then to Ryoma's dismay, Nanjiro turned around and began walking away into the bright light. "Dad...?" the boy began. There was so much he wanted to talk to his father about and wished for longer time. Nanjiro stopped for a moment and looked over his shoulder to Ryoma with a happy yet sad face. "Hate to leave you on your first game", he sighed, "But I know you can handle it as you did this far without me. Now go, play and win, my son."_

_And with one last smile for good luck, Nanjiro Echizen faded and disappeared before Ryoma could talk more. Now Ryoma felt that it had gone too fast. He finally got a chance to talk to the spirit of the father he had never known too much. Even though it was only for a short while, he couldn't help but feel grateful and pleased.  
><em>

"_Thanks...Dad."  
><em>

* * *

><p>Now Kachiro was right beside Ryoma, polishing another tennis racket. But he stopped short when he noticed movement from Ryoma and looked down to see the prince's eyes blinking open. "Ryoma, you're awake!" Kachiro said happily. This caught the attention of the rest of the team and they looked to see their youngest player awake and were relieved.<p>

"Echizen!"

"Ochibi!"

"How do you feel?"

When he remembered what he learned from his meeting with his father's spirit, the first thing Ryoma did was sit up, but was stopped short by his aching shoulder. "Hey, don't force yourself", Oishi encouraged, "You're still wiped out from your last game." But Ryoma shook his head. "We've got a game to win but not much time", he stated, flinching from his shoulder pain. Then he looked at Momo and said, "Hey Momo-senpai, can you give me a hand with something?"

"Uh sure, but with what?" asked a curious Momoshiro. Ryoma went to the rack and picked up his racket.

"...I have training to do."

* * *

><p>Echizen and Momo went to the training courts somewhere underneath the stadium in order to train his new move that he just witnessed from his father.<p>

Momoshiro took his spot on one side of the court while Ryoma took the other. However, Momo still has concerned thoughts about Ryoma's condition. "Look Echizen, you sure you up for this?" he asked to make sure, "Maybe you should wait a while longer so your wound would settle."

"There's not much time left", Ryoma insisted, "There is something I have to achieve for this game. We are going to create a new technique." Momo's eyes widened. "A new technique? In such a short time?" he responded, "Is that even possible?"

"Won't know until we try it. Please serve the ball senpai", Ryoma requested. He then switched his racket to his right hand in order to save his left shoulder less pain.

Giving his senpai the ready signal, Momoshiro reluctantly gripped the ball in his hand before he tossed it up in the air. Then using all his might, he whacked his racket on the ball and made it soar across the court, zooming towards Ryoma.

Ryoma used his instincts as he felt the ball coming closer and closer...

The next few motions went fast to Momoshiro but he can see everything. It was as if Ryoma's body was filled with such power that Momo saw a strange glow emerging from Ryoma. Ryoma then turned sideways and with his right hand, received the ball using backhand. As the ball is uncontrollably spinning on his racket, Ryoma used all his strength, despite his shoulder, and thrust his racket forward hard. The ball was engulfed in white light as it shot back towards the net with super speed. Ryoma had made sure to aim the ball straight for the wire that's between the net and the pole. At the speed and power it packed, the ball seemed to slice through the wire without stalling.

The next thing Takeshi knew, the ball Ryoma had used just now became two separate halves, landing on either side of Momo. "Holy moley..." Momo spoke in awe, "That's incredible! But...how were you able to do that with your shoulder busted?"

"By using the Muga no Kyochi", Ryoma answered. "Muga no Kyochi?" a puzzled Momo responded.

"...I'm able to allow energy to flow to any part of my body using the 1st gate of this technique, Pinnacle of Hard Work. So I increased the capabilities of my arm and didn't feel any pain", Ryoma explained, "With Muga no Kyochi, I am also capable to imitate a legendary move used during the Samurai's time...Samurai Drive." The way he said this was so intriguing to Momo.

"Oh now you're talking!" Takeshi said excitedly, "This truly is a move that an ultimate man can do! This will definitely pull past Kaidoh for sure!"

"Mada mada dane", Ryoma quoted, "It's still incomplete. Only if I learn to control the 1st gate will I master the Samurai Drive. It requires extra power and speed." Momoshiro looked at the split tennis ball, still fathomed by Ryoma's power.

"Momo-senpai", Ryoma spoke. Momo looked up as Ryoma continued, "Please continue serving. Training will commence from here." With a willing nod and grin, Momo was pumped up to help. "Alright. Just leave it to me", he assured.

* * *

><p>While Ryoma and Takeshi continued the training, Coach Saotome grew tired of Seigaku's perseverance that he needed to speed things up. It was during a singles match between Chinen and Takashi that the coach stepped out onto the court, calling out, "Ref time! We want to change players!"<p>

The referee approved the call and announced the time. As Chinen retreated back to the benches, Saotome had a confident grin as always. "No more Mr. Nice Guy from here on", he announced, "It's time to bring out our secret and final weapon."

* * *

><p>Back to Ryoma, he watched Takeshi serve him another ball and focused. Using the Muga no Kyochi, he unlocked the 1st gate to let energy flow to his left arm and strengthen it. Then he used a backhand again to send the ball shooting at the wire of the net. But due to the energy used in keeping his body in good shape being used up, the ball lacked speed and instead hit the pole of the net.<p>

Ryoma removed his cap for a moment to wipe the sweat off his brow. Momoshiro then spoke, "Hey, come on now! Once more! There's no giving up for an ultimate man!" His encouragement helped Ryoma as he nodded back to the 8th grader.

At that moment, Ryoma's training was interrupted when he and Kachiro heard the announcer speak through the speaker on the wall behind them. _"Switching with Higa's Eishiro Kite...Kaoru Kaidoh._"

Immediately Ryoma and Takeshi froze what they were doing and were on alert once they heard that name return.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: One set lost, one set gained. But the Viper has returned once again to haunt our heroes. Will Ryoma be able to use his new technique against him in time?**

**Trivia: The song that Oishi sang is actually a verse from the actual Seishun Anthem in the Prince of Tennis soundtrack.  
><strong>


	9. Snake

Never fear, ch 9's here! I'd like to thank all those who reviewed! This chapter was a little difficult to write because I'm following the plot from the drama it originated from.

Thanks to Eiji's determination from the last chapter, Team Seigaku has regained their team spirit, Ryoma is in the midst of creating a brand new technique that will help them fight back against Higa. But Higa has now decided to reveal their secret weapon, Viper. What awaits our heroes now?

**Warning: You'll find something shocking that's about to happen in this chapter, so brace yourselves and read if you dare!**

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 9 – The Snake's Venom, Momo's Gamble<span>  
><strong>

Ryoma and Momoshiro halted Ryoma's training to create the Samurai Drive and immediately returned to the stadium upon the sudden news of Higa switching players once again. When they arrived, all of their teammates were looking out onto the court at the one who is now called out onto the court.

To their disappointment, Ryoma and Takeshi had an unpleasant feeling when they saw the bandana wearing tennis player standing on the court once again for Higa. The Viper has returned.

"Show all of Japan your abilities Kaidoh", Saotome said proudly, "The real pain starts here, Team Seigaku. Watch our secret weapon with torture!"

When he glared straight at the players of Seigaku, Kaidoh gave out his usual hissing.

* * *

><p>Captain Yukimura and Sanada continued to watch the game in their club room. They both saw Saotome standing outside his teams benches with a devious laugh and Kaidoh standing on the court.<p>

"Saotome looks confident if he's laughing like that", Sanada analyzed, "He is that eager to defeat Team Seigaku." Yukimura nodded in agreement. "He calls Kaidoh their secret weapon...I wonder what abilities does he have?" he wondered.

* * *

><p>To play against Kaidoh, Fuji volunteered to play against him first and stepped out. He is fully aware of how dangerous Kaidoh is when he injured Ryoma. He got into a stance and prepared himself.<p>

Kaidoh stared at Fuji with the intent to kill. Then he tossed the ball up and served it. Fuji managed to track the ball easily and returned it. Now for this move, Kaidoh then received the ball and turned a little to the side.

"Now...Boomerang Snake!"

Once Kaidoh hit the ball, Fuji got was caught off guard when he noticed that this shot was different than the Snake Shot. This shot seemed to move in a sideways arc just around the net and back into his side, landing on a spot by his right.

"15-love!"

Fuji was appalled that he missed a shot like this so easily that he was silent only for a moment or two. "...A clever move...Making the ball go out and back in the court", he pondered, "But...it's too early for you to beat me Kaoru Kaidoh." He had his most determined face right now as he prepared for the next serve from Kaidoh.

Kaidoh tossed and served another ball towards Fuji. This time, Fuji opened his eyes and watched the ball doing the same thing, going out of the court and around the net pole. Fortunately he knew what to do to avoid the last mistake.

This time, he ran and managed to make the ball come in contact with his racket. And with a swift swing upwards, Fuji executed his handy Triple Counter, Tsubame Gaeshi. It flew over the net and sunk to the floor, rolling past Kaidoh before he could get a chance to hit it.

"15-all!"

Remembering that this is a tennis prodigy he's facing against, Kaidoh decided to use his secret technique which he's been holding for a long time. "Are you that anxious?" Kaidoh said in his head, "Well then I'll be happy to ruin that pretty face of yours Shusuke Fuji."

This time when Kaidoh served, he put some extra power and spin into this swing as the ball zoomed towards Fuji. The tensai tracked the ball and ran to where he will hit it in seconds. When the ball came to Fuji's arm length, he swung forward to make contact with his racket.

But it was right when the ball hit the net of his racket that Fuji got a sudden surprise. His arm suddenly felt numb and the ball was doing something strange from the vibration he's feeling down his arm.

"What's this?" he said in bewilderment.

His eyes snapped open as he only got a glimpse of the ball spinning strangely on his racket's net. He can no longer feel the strength to move his arm and swing.

"So fast...I can't move my arm to do the Tsubame Gaeshi...!"

At the last moment, in reaction, Fuji dropped his racket as well as the ball before anything else happened. He didn't dare want to find out where that ball was supposed to go. Even after the ball landed on the ground, Fuji was appalled that the ball still had some spin left as it twirled like a fast top until it stopped.

"Game to Higa!"

Kaidoh's plan worked as he hissed his victory. "I guess even tennis prodigies get scared of my secret Death Snake Shot as well", he mocked, "You'll be expected that move from here on until I get rid of all of you ultimate men."

The other Seigaku players were stunned and confused at this new technique but Fuji was left in silence as he picked up his racket with a trembling hand.

"..._What was that just now?_" he couldn't help but ask himself, eyeing at Kaidoh.

* * *

><p>Fuji was still shook up ever since he experienced the frightening Snake Shot only for a moment. Ever since then, he's been sitting on the benches and staring at his trembling hands. They haven't stopped shaking even after he left the court, which bugs him a lot. This made the others concerned, for they never seen Fuji worry like this before. The next game was going to start. Seigaku looked up and to their dismay, Kaidoh was out there again, waiting for one of them to step forward.<p>

"That's it...Let me have a go at him", said Kikumaru willingly, "I bet I can get back at him with a Kikumaru Beam." He got up to his feet and reached for his racket with his left hand. Right before he could exit the bunker, Fuji held out an arm in front of Kikumaru and stopped him from going any further and held him back by the shoulder. "You can't", he warned, "If you do you'll get hurt. And you haven't completely regained your stamina from your last game." He is concerned about the safety of Eiji that he opened his eyes and showed caution. Eiji stopped and looked at his teammate. "Shusuke..?"

Before any of them said a word, the group was interrupted by the sound of a ringing coming from among them.

Each boy listened carefully and checked if it was any of their devices or cellphones. Finally Eiji tracked the sound that's coming from one of the boys' tennis bags and unzipped it to peek and reach inside.

Sure enough, Eiji pulled out a white apple laptop that is causing the ringing.

"Huh? Is this anyone's?"

Surprisingly after one glimpse, all of the boys shook their heads, claiming they've never seen this item before. "Weird..." said a curious Eiji, analyzing the computer in his hands, "How'd this get in our stuff though?"

"Uh shouldn't we answer it senpai?" Momoshiro suggested as the laptop continued ringing.

Being the vice captain, Oishi took the laptop from Eiji, set it down on a bench and opened it up. The screen had a small alert box saying 'Incoming Video Message' and had no name or ID, only the words 'Unknown Caller' were seen.

Then Oishi clicked the call button and raised the speaker volume up high so they'd all hear the caller's voice. Using webcam, a video link filled the screen and the boys saw a dark room and a person's silhouette seen as a shadow so they can't see the caller's face.

"Uh...hello?" Oishi said.

A male and stoic voice spoke through the speaker, "_Greetings Team Seigaku. I trust that this laptop was safely placed in your possession yes?_"

That seems to answer how the laptop ended up in their stuff. Whoever person who's calling, must've slipped the laptop in their bags when they weren't looking. But who? Or when? Or why? Or even yet, how?

"Yes", Oishi answered, "But do you mind telling us who you are, or why did you leave this laptop with us?"

"_The reason I had this laptop placed in your belongings was so I'm able to contact you whenever. As for who I am, that is not important at the moment. There'll be a future time when I can tell you my name."_

"And the reason why you want to keep contact with us is?" Fuji inquired.

"_Yes. I wish to assist you seven. Hopefully, I wish for you men to convince me and the world that you are indeed the ultimate tennis players you claim to be._

_Now first things first, I understand that you all are in a problem concerning Kaoru Kaidoh, otherwise known as the Viper correct? Shusuke Fuji, I would like for you to explain in detail what you experienced just several minutes ago when you were playing against him."_

All of the boys turned to Fuji, hoping he could give an answer.

It looked like it would be difficult for Fuji to think back and remember what happened in those few seconds on the court but thankfully he found the words.

"...I don't know how, but that shot was quite different than I've ever seen", Fuji tried to describe, "The ball...it was literally like...a snake. A snake was trying to grip onto my racket, trying to get to me. No matter which direction, it seems to stick and curve on my racket. It was full of anger...and death." He can envision a python curled around his racket, hissing ferociously, something that would scare you in an instant if it gets close to you." The way Fuji explained it, there was fear in his voice as he looked down at his hand.

"But unfortunately...I only caught a second and was unable to see the objective behind that shot in time", Fuji then said with regret, "If only I hadn't dropped my racket so soon. All I can say is...this Snake Shot is much dangerous to go up against head on."

It was silent for a few seconds, but all that Fuji said was listened by the laptop.

"I_ see..._" said the mysterious caller, "_Alright. For now, we can assume that Kaidoh's new shot if not an easy obstacle to meet head on. __Therefore this is my decision...it's highly critical that you must refrain yourselves to attempt to return any of Kaidoh's Death Snake Shots by any means necessary._"

Team Seigaku reacted with confused and surprised expressions. "You mean...we just avoid it?" Kawamura spoke.

"_Yes. That's exactly what you should do._"

The dangerous power that Kaidoh possesses has Seigaku worried and nearly out of ideas.

"But if we do that, we'll eventually lose the entire game", Ryoma said.

What the mysterious caller said next got everyone to rethink what they just said.

"_It's either you save the game...or save your own lives."_

Everyone got concerned at the sound of the fact that they could lose their lives in this game.

_"That's all I'll say right_ _now"_, the caller said, "_We will keep in touch later."  
><em>

"Hey wait-!" Eiji said quickly before it's too late.

There was still a lot of questions the ultimate men had for their mystery person but unfortunately they heard the dial tone and the screen returned to showing the desktop.

Since the screen only showed the words 'unknown caller', none of them knew how to call the same person, nor do they still who he is. Oishi sighed as he closed the laptop and stared at it for a while.

"Do you think we can trust him?" asked Kawamura.

Inui rubbed the bottom of his chin in ponder. "Hmm...he didn't sound like he's lying", he predicted, "He sounded pretty confident and serious judging by his voice. And if what Fuji describes is true, then we can't guarantee that the new Snake Shot is an easy obstacle."

"Well one thing's for sure", Oishi spoke, "Until we know exactly the secret of Kaidoh's shot, we'll have to do as that guy says. It's the only way we don't end up dead like he wants us to."

* * *

><p>And that was exactly what everyone in Seigaku did, much to their reluctance. For the next three sets, Ryoma in Singles, Oishi and Kikumaru in doubles and Inui and Kawamura in another doubles, each had a round with Kaidoh, but it proved difficult.<p>

And in each game, whenever Kaidoh unleashed his Death Snake Shot towards a Seigaku boy, Ryoma and the others were forced to restrain themselves from hitting the ball. They reluctantly allowed it to pass and hit the ground, purposely avoiding contact. All of them had expressions of remorse as the ball shot past them and hit the ground.

Ryoma couldn't stand Kaidoh smiling at his defeat and walked away covering his eyes with his cap.

Oishi had to remind Eiji to calm down when the acrobat was frustrated that he has to seal his acrobatics against the Snake Shot and barely had the energy to run.

Kawamura, in his burning mode had moaned, "Oh no..." in remorse as he sunk to his knees. Inui only pushed his cracked glasses up his nose and is discouraged that he couldn't collect data when he's on the court.

It pains them to hear Higa constantly shouting taunts and mockery at their defeats.

"Chickening out now Seigaku?"

"Get off the court losers!"

"What kind of ultimate tennis players are you?"

* * *

><p>After those three sets had passed, Seigaku was still lost for they haven't yet figured out the secret in the Snake Shot, and it cost them three losses. All of them sat on the benches with disappointed emotions. Inui sighed, "Unfortunately throughout each game, I haven't been able to get a good view of the Death Snake Shot from here. It's illogical..." He had hoped to write down valuable data in his notebook as he gazed down at his empty page that he saved on Kaidoh.<p>

At this point, Kikumaru was losing patience and irked at their losing streak. "Oh! I've had it! They can't keep pushing us to the corner like this!" he finally snapped, standing up, "I'm going to go find out what is behind Kaidoh's shot myself!" He got up on his feet but staggered a bit as he grabbed his racket. But like before, he was stopped as Oishi and Fuji ran over and pulled him back by the arms but he tried to struggle out of their grip.

"Don't do it Eiji!" Oishi urged, "You still don't have all your stamina back yet!'

"You have to be patient!" Fuji included, "If anything happens to you, none of us will forgive ourselves."

"But that's why I should be the one to counter it!" Eiji insisted as he continued struggling, "With my sharp eyes, I should be able to find out the secret of Kaidoh's Snake Shot before it even hits me! Let me play!" Even with the danger, Eiji was willing to use whatever abilities to help the team.

This time Oishi said firmly as if he really is a mother, "I'm not going to let you take that risk and get yourself hurt again Eiji!" This caused Eiji to stop struggling for a moment and he looked up at Oishi's concerned eyes. Oishi had already seen his partner suffer pain twice in this match, and he wasn't about to go watch Eiji get even worse than he is now.

"Oishi..." Eiji said softly, feeling his partner's pain. He then lost the will to fight against Fuji and Oishi's grips and they released him. "But still..." Eiji complained, "We can't just hold back ourselves. We're ultimate tennis men!"

"I agree with Eiji...the only way we _can_ figure out the secret of that shot is by confronting it head on", Inui hypothesized, "Unless one of us should try and hit the Snake Shot, this will affect our score by 92%".

"We already decided Sadaharu. And you heard what that guy who called us said. It's too dangerous to try", Oishi restated, "We'll just have to find another way."

While they were conversing amongst themselves, Momoshiro had been sitting on his end of the bench in a deep thought. He then stared at his hand with the birthmark and clenched it into a fist. He had made his own decision and was ready.

"It's my turn", he announced as he got to his feet.

And next, Momo took out from his shorts pocket a thin white headband he had handmade himself. He had written the team's name across the band as he wrapped it around his brow and tightened it. Finally he stood up and took his racket. He then walked out onto the court, where the Viper awaits while his teammates watched from their seats.

* * *

><p>At last Momoshiro got the chance to confront Kaidoh in a proper match of his own. The two enemies glared at each other for a long while, the only sound you hear is the wind passing by the two, flapping the ends of Momo's headband in the air.<p>

"Finally Viper, we face each other", said a satisfied Momoshiro. Kaidoh seemed pleased for this moment as well.

"So it's you...the idiot peach", he spoke with a scoff. Momoshiro narrowed his eyes. "Hey I have a name you know", he said, "It's Takeshi Momoshiro, remember that."

"Why would I need to remember the name of a dead guy?" an uninterested Kaidoh responded, "Your team's already about to fail anyway."

Here, Momoshiro gave a smug grin on his face as he pointed his racket at Kaidoh. "Because...I'll be the one to uncover your Snake Shot's secret", he boldly stated.

Team Seigaku was on their feet with surprise once Momo said this. "He's what?" Kawamura reacted. "Momo don't do it!" Eiji shouted. "We agreed not to!" Oishi panicked. "It's too dangerous!" Fuji warned. They couldn't believe Momoshiro was taking this very dangerous risk.

Their yells of concern were ignored by Takeshi, who wanted nothing more than to take down Viper. When Kaidoh heard Momo's statement, he took it as a joke and said, "You don't have the ability idiot. How can a guy like you be able to stop my Snake Shot when you probably can't handle a normal drive volley?"

Unafraid, Momo still had his smile on. "Oh what's that?" he taunted, "Don't tell me that the Viper is scared that I'll beat him, is that it?" Pushing him over to the edge, Kaidoh growled under his breath and hissed. "You punk...Now you've made your grave", he proclaimed.

"Then hurry up and show me your power Kaoru Kaidoh!"

"With pleasure!"

Kaidoh gave the ball he's holding a strong squeeze, filling it with all of his hate and anger. He set his goal in his head: to remove Momoshiro out of play. Finally with a great swing, Kaidoh tossed and hit the ball in the same manner as the previous games, executing his Death Snake Shot.

Momo's heart pounded as he anxiously waited for the dangerous Snake Shot to come closer towards him, his eyes focused on the ball, sweat coming down the side of his brow. "_No backing out now Momo_", he mentally told himself, "_Sorry mystery guy, whoever you are...But...My team's victory rests on this!_"

"You call that a shot Viper?" Momoshiro then yelled out loud, "I've already won!" With that, he swung and received the shot head on and the ball came in contact with his racket. But at that instant, Momo realized the truth from what Fuji described.

Like Fuji experienced, Momo got a close look at the ball's action and saw that it's spinning madly in a zig-zaggy path along his racket's net like a snake. "What the-? My arms...They can't move..." he said through his strained teeth. No matter how hard he tried, his arms won't cooperate with him as the ball continued traveling down his racket.

From the other side, Kaoru grinned and watched with amusement as the ball went closer, and closer towards the handle of Momo's racket. He then yelled out, "This is my Snake Shot...And it looks like you've become its first victim, Momoshiro!"

The next thing Momo knew, the ball reached his handle and shot up towards his face like a bullet and all he saw was black.

* * *

><p>Everyone in Team Seigaku gave horrified gasps and cries the moment the ball had rammed itself into Momoshiro's brow and his head was sent back. Even Yamato, Rikkaidai and even the mystery caller, wherever he is, gasped from this unexpected sight from where they were. The ball had such power that Momo was flown back off the court and slammed into the wall. His racket snapped out of his hand and fell beside him as he slid down to the ground and collapsed.<p>

"Momo!"

"Takeshi!"

"Momo-senpai!" Ryoma and Kachiro cried out the loudest.

Everyone ran out from the benches in haste and went to Momo, Eiji needed Oishi's assistance for support cause he's still limping. Ryoma and Kachiro were by Momo's side first and tried to shake him awake as they and the others desperately called his name.

"Momo-senpai!"

"Momo! Hang in there! Momo!"

"Momo?"

"Say something!"

The sight of blood trickling down from the wound on Momo's head gave them a scare and stained his white headband. "It's a serious concussion..." said Oishi, who's shook up in fear.

But then they heard a devious laughter from the opposite side of the court and looked behind them. Kaidoh had seen that his Snake Shot had worked well and laughing with pleasure. "What did I tell you? He's so stupid to try after all!" he mocked. Team Seigaku only gave Viper expressions of anger. But then they heard a moan from their fellow friend.

Amazingly Momo was still conscious and his hand slowly reached out and found his racket handle. Never did his head hurt so much as the pain pounded against his skull as he slowly pushed himself off the ground. The others were continuously on vigil each time Momo nearly staggered but finds his feet. "Momo-senpai..." Ryoma spoke, wondering why Momo still wants to stand in his condition.

Momo ignored his teammates' urge to rest as he now tried to walk back to the court. "Is that...Is that all you got Viper...?" he said hazily as he walked about around the court as if he's drunk, "Come on! Come on and get me!" His vision was blurred as he randomly swung his racket around, hitting nothing but air, hoping to eventually make contact with Kaidoh. It scared Kachiro that the hit to the head must've made a serious injury to Momo, making the 8th grader feel like the place is shaking. The other ultimate men wanted him to stop, but Momo pressed on.

"Viper, come over here and face me like a man! I'm still standing aren't I?"

From where he stood, Kaidoh was frozen for the while, wondering what kind of guy would still be up and walking after taking a hit from his Snake Shot. "He's gone mad", he said to himself as Momo continued yelling out randomly.

"You scared Viper? Come out! I've won this round!" Momo then proclaimed in a loud voice that echoed throughout the stadium. But then he froze and dropped his racket again as his world spun and eventually, to the others' scare, he sank to his knees and fell facedown.

"Momo!"

"Momoshiro!"

Again everyone ran and surrounded their fellow teammate. However, Kachiro remained frozen from where he stood. Ryoma and Kawamura came, knelt down and carefully rolled Momo onto his back. "Momo! Stay awake here!" Kawamura urged as he lifted his head. "Momo-senpai, if you fall here, our team will fall apart!" said a desperate Ryoma, "We have to stay united!" The others nodded with him.

But here, Momo gave a weak chuckle. "Eh? No...I'm no Ultimate Man...Maybe I never was..." he said sheepishly.

"What are you talking about? Of course you are!" Fuji confirmed, "We all have the same birthmarks don't we?"

When Fuji mentioned this, Momoshiro raised his right hand to gaze at his birthmark. "...To be honest...I...I first wanted...to be a...a basketball player...I had no knowledge in tennis at all..." he confessed, "...But after realizing what this mark meant...and you guys...I gave it all up...so I could join you...I only thought of the fame and the title..."

He can remember clearly the night when he firmly announced to his parents that he quit the basketball club and moved on to tennis.

* * *

><p><strong>Flashback<strong>

_A while back before Momoshiro has joined Team Seigaku, Momo used to be interested in basketball, hence that was how the Dunk Smash was originated. He was one of his school basketball club's best players in games._

_One night, Momoshiro had watched the news of Ryoma's first public appearance, announcing the creation of the new tennis team. From the moment he saw that the team was said to possess the same birthmark he has, Momoshiro realized that he has a different calling._

_"An ultimate tennis team..." he said in awe. In his head, he imagined the thrill of being called the ultimate tennis players in the world. Every tennis fan would give them praise and they'd be famous. These were the things Momoshiro had first thought of as his main purpose to joining the team.  
><em>

_Later that evening, Takeshi requested to speak with his parents for a talk.  
><em>

_"Mom, Dad...I've decided...I've decided to drop out of the basketball club", he firmly stated. He sat in front of his parents, looking at the ground. This was a surprise to his parent obviously. _

_"Drop the basketball club? Why the sudden change Takeshi?" asked his father._

_"I realize...I have a different future. From now on, I will become a tennis player", Takeshi announced, "I am born to become a member of the ultimate tennis team. I just know it."_

_"Honey, why are you deciding this? There's no need to change sports so quickly", his mother encouraged.  
><em>

_To answer, Takeshi raised his right hand and showed them the birthmark. "This is why. There are others like me who have this mark as well", he said, "With this mark, I know it's my destiny to join them. Please let me go!"_

_Now his parents wondered why he had the strangely shaped birthmark since he was born, but never knew the reason. Hearing this fact that Momo is destined to be something big was all too sudden.  
><em>

_"I'm sorry Takeshi. I cannot allow you to go out on your own", his father said firmly, "Focus on finishing school first before you go off to a professional tennis team. That's all i have to say."_

_These words made Takeshi discouraged as he lowered his head sullenly. But as he looked down at his birthmark, he can't let go of the fact that that mark is there for a reason._

* * *

><p><em>That was when Takeshi made the final decision to secretly run away from home, so he can pursue his chance in the ultimate team on his own. Earlier that day, Momoshiro had talked to his basketball coach and captain and announced his retirement from the team, which brought great disappointment to his teammates.<em>

_Afterwards, Momoshiro used the money that he's been saving for buying new basketball equipment to buy himself a good tennis racket and other gear._

_To make this decision final, on the night when Takeshi left home, he was finished packing in his bedroom and needed to do one more thing. He looked to where he had laid his basketball club uniform, sneakers and ball are lying on the desk._

_Picking up his precious equipment of his previous sport, Takeshi looked at them one last time before he tossed them in the trash can, no longer needed to be used. "From here on...I'm going to be an ultimate man, even if tennis isn't my sport", he declared to himself._

_During his bike ride trip to find the ultimate men, Momoshiro spent his journey training in any tennis court he happened to come across along the way. It was difficult for him since he was new to tennis but he somehow managed to get used to holding a racket in time. Eventually he used his excellent basketball talents to his advantage and created the Dunk Smash._

* * *

><p><em>After two days of traveling, Momoshiro stopped by one street tennis court and finished up his training. It was on this day that Momo happened to spot some people listening to the radio.<em>

_"This just in, the newly announced tennis team who call themselves Team Seigaku have now begun their search for their fellow future teammates. According to witnesses, they are last heard heading to Chiba as we speak. Will they find their new member there? Stay tuned for further news", said the announcer._

_When Momoshiro heard this, nothing pleased him more as he chuckled to himself. "Finally...Now I know where to find you, Team Seigaku", he said, "Now I can show them my ultimate man abilities."_

_Without any time to lose, Momoshiro grabbed his stuff, hopped onto his bike, and made a straight and quick journey to Chiba, where he will meet his fellow teammates and prove his usefulness to the team._

**End of Flashback**

* * *

><p>After looking back at those memories, Momo was now wishing that he could've told his family a proper good-bye before he ran away from home.<p>

Then he looked up to his teammates who are still at the point of crying. "Sorry guys...You must think I'm a silly wreck...joining the team just for selfish reasons..." he apologized with shame.

But his friends shook their heads in protest. "Don't say that Takeshi!" Eiji urged, tears filling his eyes, "You're a true ultimate man! One of the greatest!" The other boys nodded in agreement.

Momo then began to cough out blood from his mouth. "Racket..." he said in effort, feeling around the ground, "...My racket..." Knowing exactly what he wants, Kawamura looked around and found Momoshiro's racket on the ground where it fell and ran over and picked it up. He then returned to the group and took his fellow power player's right hand and had him wrap his fingers around the handle. "Here Momo", he said anxiously to get Momo's attention, "Here's your racket. Just hang unto it."

Fortunately Momo still had strength in his hand to grip the racket. But then he called out weakly, "Kachiro..."

Hearing Momo call his name, Kachiro, who was standing several feet from the group, quickly ran over and knelt on the other side of Momoshiro. "Momo-senpai", he spoke to tell him he's present.

"K...Kachiro...g...grab on to this..." he eagerly said. With little strength, Momo raised his racket towards Kachiro. Wanting to abide one of his heroes' wishes, Kachiro slowly reached out with his hand that's wrapped in a cast and took a hold of the handle just above Momo's hand.

"I...I want to thank you...for helping us out...Because of you...you helped me remember my position on this team...This racket...I'm really proud to have owned this racket..." he said gratefully, remembering the time during the game when he was having doubts in himself until Kachiro gave him hope again.

The racket they were holding was the same racket that Kachiro worked willingly to polish for Momoshiro during the entire match.

"Now...I'm counting on you...to help the team from here...with my power..." Momo stated.

This didn't make any sense to Kachiro.

"M-Momo-senpai...what are you saying?"

"...You said to us before...that you'd give anything to be able to play tennis as an ultimate man...Well then...I want you to have that chance..."

After he said that, it was as if out of nowhere, the sky was covered with dark clouds and a faint rumbling of thunder was heard over the stadium as something obscure was about to happen.

Then to the ultimate men's surprise, a strange aura came from Momoshiro and his racket started to glow yellow, the sign of his ultimate power channeling through the item. Kachiro, still holding onto the racket as well, then felt something warm and enter through his injured hand and into his body.

"What...what's he doing?" said Oishi.

"...It's illogical..." said a stunned Inui.

It appears that Momoshiro is willingly trying to transfer his ultimate man abilities into Kachiro, using his racket as a connection. As the power was going inside Kachiro, he felt something sensational in his hand that has the cast. Slowly to his amazement, Kachiro began to feel his fingers moving after a long time.

"What's...happening...?" he moaned, bearing through the pain, "I feel...different..."

Finally after a long and struggling effort, Momo's ultimate man abilities were successfully transferred, but weakened him even more as the glowing faded. Kachiro was now gripping his pulsing right hand and as if by instinct, removed the cast that he's been wearing for a long time.

Due to the power transferred into Kachiro, his hand has now been restored and able to be used. "My hand...It's healed", Kachiro said in bewilderment. Not only that, but Kachiro felt Momoshiro's ultimate man power surging through his body, feeling stronger than before. As Kachiro gazed at his restored hand, he turned it over and got a surprise to see a distinctive round birthmark on the back of his hand.

"A...a birthmark?" he said with stunned eyes. This mark now makes it official, Kachiro had now become one of them. And by coincidence, it was on the right hand, the same place where Momo's birthmark is.

Speaking of Momo, the power player now saw Kachiro enjoying his power and was pleased.

Then with effort, he weakly said, "...Thank you...you guys...Thank...you..."

And to Kachiro and the others' shock, seeing that his powers are entrusted to the right person, Momo's eyes rolled back and were shut and his hand lost its strength and lets go of the racket, landing on the floor. "...M-Momo-senpai?" Kachiro eagerly called out. Ryoma placed his hands on Momo's chest and shook it. "Momo-senpai! Wake up!" he called out. But to their horror, Takeshi Momoshiro no longer made a sound or movement.

"Oi Momo! Stop joking with us!" Eiji shouted in agony. He then hid his face against Oishi's shoulder and sobbed while Oishi wrapped an arm around Eiji's shoulder to comfort him, silent but hurt inside. Kawamura also had tears streaming down his face and he sniffled nonstop while Inui and Fuji were silent and lowered their heads, holding back the crying.

Ryoma removed his cap and hung his head to bid his friend farewell but couldn't stop sobbing. In his head, he looked back at the memories, from the day they first met Momoshiro and how he's always showing his mischievous grin of his and motivating their training days with his cocky attitude. Now, they won't be able to see their friend do that anymore.

But then that brought Ryoma to look at the person responsible for Momo's sacrifice, who's standing there hissing, pleased that he had gotten rid of Momoshiro.

"Heh. One down...six more to kill", Kaidoh announced. He then went back to his team benches, savoring his achievement while Team Seigaku were on the verge of anger. Revenge was the only thing that was stuck in their minds at that moment.

Clutching the tennis ball that was used to kill Momoshiro so tightly, Ryoma made his vow, "Viper...you will pay..."

* * *

><p>Somewhere away from the stadium where the game is taking place, a certain person was watching the game from his own screen in a dark room with only one dim light on and the light from the TV. He sat in his chair and was frozen with shock at the tragedy that just happened.<p>

Seeing Momoshiro ignoring his warning and letting himself get killed by Kaidoh has bugged him.

"Why?" he asked himself, "I told them not to take the risk..."

He was now upset that this happened and clenched a fist that lay on one of the arms of the chair.

"Team Seigaku...I'm afraid things will be more difficult from here until the end."

**_To Be Continued..._**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I know, I know, it's too sad for Momo. I told you that it was difficult in writing this chapter. But hey, that was how the Astro Kyudan drama plot went. **

**BUT... **

**don't worry, I promise things will turn out better when this game is over. **

**You'll see... **

**Feel free to look back and reread the previous chapters cause some of them I fixed the editing and grammar.  
><strong>

**Next time, with Momoshiro gone, can Seigaku continue this game with one person missing? Are they able to stop Viper? Also, has Inui and Fuji figured out how to stop Kaidoh's dangerous Snake Shot? Find out in the next chapter!  
><strong>


	10. Countering the Death Snake

**Whew! I know what you're thinking, 'It's been soooooo long since the last chapter!' My bad. Had a tough problem with typing this chapter, but worry no more! Sorry if there's some stuff here that doesn't make sense.  
><strong>

**Also the New Prince of Tennis anime is awesome.**

**Seriously, you POT fans HAVE to check it out. It's awesome to hear the good old voice seiyuus playing as their Seigaku characters again.  
><strong>

**BUT before you begin reading this, I'd like to announce and recommend you readers to go back and reread chapter 9. Why? Because I had an idea that just popped into my head recently and rewrote chapter 9 to add something to your liking. If you've been reading this fanfic so far and read this chapter without revisiting chapter 9, there'll be things in here that won't make sense.**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Last time on Team Seigaku...<strong>_

Previously, Team Seigaku is pushed to a corner when Kaidoh frightens the team with his mysterious yet deadly Snake Shot. The game becomes difficult when the team receives a message from a mysterious caller who advises them strictly not to play full out against Kaidoh's dangerous shot, in order to avoid their lives killed.

After several failures against Higa and Kaidoh's Death Snake Shot, Momoshiro has made the ultimate sacrifice and went head on with the dangerous Snake Shot, only to be critically hurt and resulted in his death. However, the ultimate man made a last attempt and gave what's left of his ultimate tennis abilities to Kachiro Kato so he can play in his place. Will Team Seigaku be able to pull through their loss with this sudden change?

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 10 - A Comeback! Countering the Snake Shot<span>  
><strong>

Things took a worse turn and became difficult now that Seigaku has suffered a tragic event. Takeshi Momoshiro, an Ultimate Man till the end, was gone. His teammates are left, grieving and in pain for this loss. The whole stadium became quiet and sullen.

In Nanjiro Echizen's secret office, Yamato felt pain at the sight of seeing one of his boys killed by the hands of Kaidoh so quickly. He was looking through a folder filled with data and information about Momoshiro. After reading it, Yamato gave a sullen sigh as he closed the folder and stared at the front that has Momoshiro's name labeled on it.

"Nanjiro-sensei...it's such a shame to see one of your own being taken away so soon..." he said sadly.

While he was grieving silently, Yamato's time has been interrupted when his cell phone then rang a text alert. The man took out his cell phone and viewed the screen. "'Unknown Sender'?" he read in curiosity. Even without the person's name or number, Yamato opened the text message and read it.

"_'If you wish to find a way to defeat Kaoru Kaidoh, then you must know his background that connects to his hatred for tennis. I am sending you a very important secret that should help you find the rest.'"  
><em>

Yamato finished the rest of the message and the secret that was sent by reading with his eyes. But once he did, his eyes widened in astonishment. "Really...?" he said in curiosity.

The message was sent by a person who calls him or herself, 'A Friend' at the bottom of the text.

Now of course Yamato is wondering who sent this, or why the person's willing to help. But right now, he was more concerned about the information the unknown sender had texted and plans to take the sender's advice.

He then got to his feet and went to a bookshelf and scanned each book until he found the one he's looking for. He opened the book then flipped through the pages filled with records of tennis teams that were established during the years way before the ultimate men were even born.

Finally Yamato found the page he was looking for and that was when he made a startling discovery when he saw the picture of a certain tennis team of the past. To be specific, Yamato's attention was focused on one certain player whose name is listed in the roster list that seemed interesting.

"Kaoru Kaidoh's father...was a former tennis player of Saotome's former team?" he said in bewilderment.

* * *

><p>Back at the stadium, the game was put to a long halt due to the recent tragedy, as Seigaku needed the time to recover from their grieving. All of its members were scattered in their bunker with depressed emotions as a sullen silence loomed over them.<p>

As for Momoshiro's body, for now the team had brought it inside and laid it on the bench in the locker room and covered his head and upper body with his Seigaku jacket, planning to give him a proper burial the moment the game is over.

The sports commentator spoke to the audience around Japan, "It's a harsh time for Team Seigaku at this time. One of their own, Takeshi Momoshiro, has been taken out of the game due to a major head injury that resulted in his death after being defeated by Higa's Kaoru Kaidoh, otherwise known as the Viper. It is now the 6th to last game of the match and Seigaku hasn't chosen their next player for this game yet. Will they bring up their score? We will find out in a few minutes."

An hour and a half passed by and nobody said anything for a long time and Kachiro sat in his seat clutching onto Momoshiro's racket that was now passed onto him and still traumatized by what just happened.

But he wasn't the only person. One of them finally spoke to break the sullen silence. "Guys...for the first time...I'm scared..." said Eiji quietly, bringing his knees close to his chest like a child, "I mean...can we still continue to play this game...even after what happened to Momo?"

It was not a surprise to everyone else that Eiji is frightened as they are. If this game was dangerous enough to take the life of a fellow player, then what could be awaiting them next? Will they take the risk to continue?

None of them knew or had the right words to say that'll make them feel better as they looked at each other with grimaces. But that changed when someone from the side spoke up.

"We're not going to give up yet."

Everyone's heads was turned to the entrance to the lockers and they gasped.

Fuji and Inui have stepped out of the stadium during the break to do something. When they returned, everyone was surprised to see Fuji leaning against Inui with an arm draped over the data man's neck. Fuji was also covered in bruises, cuts and dirt that stained his uniform and looked exhausted.

"Shusuke, Sadaharu, where in the world were you guys? And Shusuke, what happened to you?" asked Kikumaru with concern.

Instead of answering Eiji's question properly, Fuji boldly announced, "We...finally figured out how to beat that Snake Shot."

The rest of them team gave surprised expressions and were on their feet.

"Huh? How?" Kachiro was the first to ask.

"_They did it with assistance from myself and your team's will"_, a different voice answered. The rest of the team realized that it came from the white laptop that the mysterious caller is now speaking through. "_Right now, just be assured that your teammates have come up with a strategy that'll save you all from the Snake Death Shot_."

"What?" a stunned Oishi said, "But how-?"

"It's a long story", Inui then interrupted, "But there's no time to explain it later. Like our mystery person said, we have a plan. Now we shall put it to the test."

"Right", Fuji spoke as he decided to walk on his own without Inui's assistance, "Just leave it to me..."

But after taking one step, Shusuke staggered and almost fell hadn't it been for Kawamura arriving there to catch him by the arms. "What are you thinking Shusuke?" Oishi said, urging the prodigy to reconsider, "We've just lost a friend...I can't allow our team to lose another one!" After Momo's death, Oishi has become more protective of his friends than ever.

Nevertheless, Fuji is more persistent. "I know that", he said, "But we can't let Takeshi's sacrifice be for nothing.

"But Shusuke you can't!" Eiji said desperately.

Now here, Inui stepped up from behind Fuji and placed a hand on the tensai's shoulder to usher him back.

"Leave it to me", he assured, pushing his cracked glasses up his nose, "My data shall assist me once more." However Fuji was still persistent in going and tried to stand on his own seeing that Inui looked a little tired himself.

"Sadaharu, I can handle it-"

"It's alright. You've helped me a lot already through the training", said the data man, "I was able to collect helpful data from watching you. Now, it's my turn to do the rest."

Finally, after seeing Inui and everyone else's eager faces that tells him to listen, Fuji gave in and allowed himself to sit on the bench as Oishi and Eiji came over to help treat Fuji's bruises with the first aid kit.

Before he departed the bunker, Inui had a one last word with Ryoma. "Echizen, we shall continue holding out this game for the while. In the meantime, it's highly recommendable that you finish achieving that Samurai Drive. We will need it before the final game", he strongly advised.

"But senpai-"

"_Echizen_", the voice from the white laptop spoke to halt him, "_your team is right. From here until the final game, you must find a way to perfect that new technique. Don't forget, while your team may be captain-less, you are their pillar of support. You cannot let them fall here. Do you understand?_"

Reluctant but understood his teammates and the caller's words, Ryoma nodded.

"I don't know who you are or why you want to help us", he then spoke to the mysterious caller, "but I'll trust your advice. But would it help if we could see you in person after this game so we can thank you properly?"

Some silence came from the laptop.

"_...That I cannot promise at the moment._" he said in regret, "_But we will meet one day._"

With the decision made, Ryoma then held up Inui's dark green racket and handed it to his senior. Inui took his racket and stepped out onto the court as his friends hoped for the best and that they wouldn't lose another player. As for Ryoma, he had his job to do. He turned to Kachiro, who is now a new member to the team and said, "Kachiro, let's go."

And he led the new boy out of the bunker and to the underground training court to finish his training.

* * *

><p>Determined to get rid of the remaining Seigaku players, Kaidoh returned to the court for another round. He watched and awaited for his new prey to come forward to taste his Snake Shot until finally, someone walked onto the court.<p>

After arriving on his spot, Inui stared at Kaidoh for a long while through his cracked glasses silently as Momo did when he last confronted the Viper.

"So after seeing me get rid of your friend, you still insist to continue playing?" Kaidoh spoke with the intent to make Inui regret his decision, "You all are really anxious to die aren't you?"

"A little word of warning to you Kaoru Kaidoh", Inui spoke, "I have examined and collected your data very carefully. It was difficult, but I somehow managed to obtain it. And with the data I've collected...I'll use it to defeat you."

Kaidoh only scoffed and clicked his tongue. "Tch...what idiots...Maybe I need to break those glasses of yours to pieces so you can see the truth clearly."

Inui now decided that the time to act is now. With that, he slowly reached up to touch his right wristband and slip it off his wrist and tossed it aside. What none of the other players had expected was that hidden in the wrist band was 2 bars of thin weights.

Now Inui's teammates were rather surprised that Inui had carried weights on his wrist all this time without them noticing.

"Was he wearing that power weight in his wristband from the beginning?" Oishi asked in astonishment.

"...To take them off now, Sadaharu must be getting serious", Fuji presumed.

Now that he got some limits lifted off of his dominant arm, Inui calculated, "The percentage of difference in power...15% higher." With his minimal limit removed, Inui now bounced the first ball in his hand a few times. He then thought back carefully at what he learned during the break.

* * *

><p><em><strong>-Flashback-<br>**_

_**Earlier, During the Break**__  
><em>

During the long break, Fuji noticed that Inui has become serious after the death of Momoshiro and is determined to figure out how to stop Kaidoh's deadly shot. However it was right at that moment that Inui heard ringing from the white laptop that was left to them by the mysterious caller from before, signalling that a phone link is being made again.

His screen again had the label, 'Unknown Caller', meaning that it could be the same caller who warned them before. Inui answered the call and the screen showed the same silhouetted figure from before.

"Hello?"

_"What were you all thinking_?", the same mysterious caller spoke with disappointment, "_I specifically told all of you to avoid that shot by all means necessary._"

Inui figured that the caller must've obviously seen the tragic event that had happened in the previous game. "...I'm sorry. We tried to warn him not to do it, but...he was putting the team's victory first", said Inui on Momo's behalf, "There wasn't anything we could've done."

Inui heard the caller give a sigh.

_"Well...there's no point in changing what's past. But I won't say that Momoshiro's death was for nothing, because now...he has uncovered a way for your team's victory indeed. Now...you are able to find a way to counter the Death Snake Shot._"

This was an interesting fact to Inui. "Is it really possible?" he asked the caller.

_"It is thanks to your teammate's sacrifice that he managed to give your team a clue. I shall be sending you a recording of Kaidoh's technique. You'll see what I mean."_

"I'll do my best, but I can't thank you enough, whoever you are", said Inui gratefully.

"_Then I wish you luck_", the mystery person said before the monotone is heard, signalling that he had hung up and the video phone box closed to show the desktop again.

Thanks to the sacrifice Momo gave to the team, Inui has gotten the data he needs and is ready to start inventing a new strategy. Fuji was the only other person who overheard the conversation, and is now eager to contribute in some way to ensure their team victory. So he requested Inui that he'd come along as well.

* * *

><p>Now, the two had gone to the underground courts and commenced training separately. On one court, Inui remembered the words that the mysterious caller had told him before and first took time to view the video that was sent by their mystery person and played it several times until his mind memorized each little detail.<p>

He watched a recording of Kaidoh beating their team from the previous games many times and replayed it in slow motion. Here, Inui can finally see that ball's movement as it is launched from Kaidoh towards their side. He then watched the ball, still in slow motion, making contact with Momoshiro's racket and here, found out the secret behind the deathly shot.

"I see now...Kaidoh's Snake Shots have some kind of additional gyro spin. However...it's still incomplete. Therefore, our only way to beat it is if I can conjure up a straight serve that can pass his field of reach before he can hit it...Then it'll win us a game. Chance of success...48%."

It was a hard gamble as Inui knows, but he's willing to give it a shot. He turned his attention to a target post set on the other end of his court. With a basket of balls by his side, Inui took one ball in his hand and gripped it for a while with his eyes on the target. Then with a toss of the ball, he waited for the ball to come down before swinging his racket upon the ball and sent it flying into the target post at a normal serve speed.

But this wasn't enough to convince Inui that'll it'll beat Kaidoh. "Not good. It has to be faster." With that, he picked up another ball and commenced his training.

...

On another court, Fuji commenced a different training of his own. Here, Fuji had a hard and heavy sack that's the size of a punching bag, hanging by a rope that's attached to the ceiling in the middle of the court he's standing on. At the moment, the sack was tied off to the side with a rope that leads to Fuji's hand. The moment he tugs on this rope, Fuji will release the sack from its hanging spot and it will swing back and forth towards him.

Now for this training, Fuji has made a difficult limit. He stood on the court, racket in hand, and had tied blindfold on his head that covered his eyes. "It's risky. But with the blindfold, I can focus using my other senses to target the ball better", he said to himself, "Well...here we go."

With the rope that's connected to the sack in his hand ready, Fuji took a moment before he tugged on it and released the sack. The swinging obstacle then came swooping down towards Fuji and the tensai had his racket up. He heard the sound of the sack moving through the air and tried to track it down. He swung in order to counter it but missed by a foot and instead, the sack collided into his back unexpectedly.

Fuji nearly stumbled over but kept his stance, however now he his back felt sore from that impact. Nevertheless, he continued with his training. Unfortunately as minutes passed, it was entirely difficult for Fuji to not use his eyes as he endured pain from the hard sack whacking into different parts of his body countless of times and all he can do is swing his racket at random directions but hasn't hit the sack even once.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A Half Hour Later<strong>_

A half hour later, the training still continued but Inui and Fuji still had no luck in discovering a solution to counter the Death Shot. Fuji had already gotten several bruises from the sack ramming into him and continued to wear the blindfold. His jersey was also covered in dirt from being knocked to the ground several times before.

On Inui's end, the data man had served many balls that the basket beside him was now more than half empty. Balls were scattered around the target post that Inui was aiming for but none of them were successful in getting to the speed that satisfies Inui. He went on his knees to catch his breath as his right arm hung down his side. "No luck..." he panted, "...That last shot must've been no close to 150 km/hr..."

On the other court, Fuji tried avoiding the sack now if he can't hit it. But just when Fuji let his guard down for one second, the sack collided into him and knocked him off his feet and he fell on his back. Inui heard the sound of Fuji crashing to the floor and looked to the side. He got startled when he saw Fuji down that he ran over to his court and halted the sack so it would hang still and stop swinging.

"Are you sure about this Shusuke? It is difficult to not use your eyes. Maybe you should halt the training and leave this to me", Inui suggested. But Fuji slowly got back to his feet, shaking his head, despite his bruises stinging all over.

"No…We have to do this…Our team's victory rests on me", he stated, "Or Momo's effort would be in waste...Continue pushing the sack towards me." With Fuji's wish, Inui had no choice but do as he requests. With that, Inui dragged the sack so that it will hang from over his head in order to build up a swing. Then he released the sack and continued Fuji's training.

Another 30 minutes passed and two had finally come to a breaking climax.

Fuji had finally gotten success in his training. Eventually, his other senses was able to adapt well without his eyesight that he soon was able to detect the moving sack and figure out it's direction now. Using his ears to listen, he waited until he heard the sack move across the air and coming closer and closer. Finally when it was close enough Fuji went into position for the Tsubame Gaeshi. And at the right timing, Fuji swung his racket and countered the sack with a strong swing upward that the effect of his ultimate man strength kicked in and created a force that sent the sack in the opposite direction and even got its rope snapped as it crashed several feet away from Fuji. Due to the great swing, Fuji had even made a rip in the sack and sand had poured out of the hole.

Meanwhile, after about 50 or more attempts, Inui finally came to a sparking conclusion in his training when his next and final ball shot straight at the target in a speed that Inui has never done before in his life and hit the target with a loud and swift finish.

"That's it...192 km/hr..."

Satisfied with his new technique, Inui wanted to give it one more try and picked up a ball that had rolled near to him. Again, he tossed it up, waited for it to come down, and whacked it so hard and sent it flying across the court at the same speed. But unfortunately Inui had gotten a little exhausted that the ball he had just hit got a little off route and missed the target post. Instead, the ball hit the concrete wall just behind the post and bounced right off the surface. Following the ricochet, the ball went in another direction. Inui tried to track the ball's direction and got a scare when he saw that it was heading to Fuji's court...right towards the tensai.

"Fuji, look out!" he warned suddenly.

Fuji still had the blindfold on so he couldn't see what Inui was alert about. But...thanks to the training, his instincts picked up an object that's spinning and shooting towards him. Using this chance to test his new skill, Fuji amazingly caught the ball with his racket and had it spinning rapidly against the net. But then in one movement, he swiftly turned and went down on a knee and flung the ball back in the opposite direction. Inui got stunned as he saw the returned ball soaring up and traveling in an arc and landed right on the baseline of his court.

"Amazing...He had come up with a counter like that in just seconds..." the data man remarked, frozen in his place.

But suddenly Fuji lost all the strength in his legs and laid flat on his back and regained his energy. Inui snapped out of his thoughts and ran over to his side in worry and pulled the blindfold off of Fuji's eyes. "Shusuke! Are you alright?" he called out, shaking Fuji by the shoulder.

Instead of worrying about himself, all Fuji did was nod. "...I got my new technique ready...Did...Did you get it too...?"

To his relief, Inui smiled and nodded. "100% fool proof", he confirmed_.  
><em>

_**-End of Flashback-**  
><em>

* * *

><p>Back in the game at present time, Inui was still at ready to make a serve.<p>

"_Takeshi...it was thanks to your sacrifice, we were able to conjure this technique. Thank you_", he said in his head gratefully, "_This serve will beat that Viper._"

With that, Inui finally tossed the ball up over his head and swung his racket back. In a few seconds, Inui watched the ball hover in the air for a second before it came back down. Right when it got to his point of view, Inui's now lightened arm moved in one swift motion and whacked on the ball. Following the impact, Viper was on his guard, ready to return it. But a second later, without realizing it, the ball Inui had served instantly flew past him like a flash and landed on his side of the court.

The referee announced that Seigaku got a point, much to Higa's dismay.

"Impossible..." said a stunned Kaidoh, "...There was no way a person can serve a ball that fast."

But Inui in return had the proud face of accomplishment and gave a chuckle. "Au contraire...data never lies", he stated **(A/N: I couldn't resist but add that quote in cause it's SO like Inui. XD)**, "That serve you just witnessed happens to be traveling at 192 km...per hour. In other words, it may just be a new record in the history of tennis."

Kaidoh's eyes widened in reaction to this fact. "1...192 km/hr?"

A frustrated Kaidoh hissed under his breath as he turned sharply and walked to the bunker in an upset fit. "Those losers...How did they come up with something like that in a short time?"

Saotome went up to Kaidoh to give him a new piece of advice.

"Hey kid, drop the Death Shot for this next round. Use this chance to trick them from behind", he suggested. Now at first, Kaidoh is upset to drop his successful Death Shot, but eventually, he figured out the trick in Saotome's advice. He is now positively sure that he'll get back at them in the next round.

* * *

><p>While that's happening, Ryoma resumed to his previous training to master the Muga no Kyochi and the Samurai Drive that he learned from his father's ghost.<p>

This time there was a slight change in the procedure. Kachiro now took Momoshiro's place and became Ryoma's training partner to serve the balls. Now that Kachiro's dominant hand has been restored thanks to Momoshiro's ultimate man powers being passed on to him, he can now grip a racket and use it to its fullest as Ryoma and the others can.

Even Ryoma still has his shoulder injury, it was thanks to practicing the Muga no Kyochi that he's able to channel energy into the arm for a short while in order to use it to play and at the moment, reduced the injury that he only feels a sore and stinging pain.

After several attempts to create the Samurai Drive, Ryoma paused for a moment to catch his breath and wipe the sweat from his brow. Kachiro, who hasn't played tennis in such a long time due to his disability, was also shaky and struggled at first as he served Ryoma the tennis balls.

While Ryoma took a quick breather, Kachiro wanted to say something that's been bugging him. "Ryoma...maybe...maybe this isn't a good idea for me to play", he said with doubt in himself, "Look at me. I'm not cut out to be an ultimate man."

But Ryoma spoke, "Kachiro...don't forget, Momo-senpai chose you to take his ultimate powers in his final moments. He and I want you to put all of your effort into this game. Make it so that Momo-senpai would feel envious and jealous so that he regretted for putting you in his place."

His words brought encouragement to Kachiro as he gazed down at Momoshiro's racket in his hand which he plans to use throughout this game. With his confidence brought back, Kachiro now gave a nod and said eagerly, "Right! Let's continue then, Ryoma-kun!"

Glad that Kachiro's now full of confidence again, Ryoma got to his feet and prepared himself to receive the next serve. On the other side, in his best positive attitude, Kachiro then began spoke loudly to pick up the mood.

"Come on come on! It's not enough!" he quoted.

When he heard this, Ryoma paused for a moment and recognized this nostalgic moment. In his head, he can imagine Momoshiro standing in Kachiro's spot, saying the same thing. The 8th grader was showing his cocky smile with his racket slung over his shoulder. It's as if he never left at all.

"...Momo-senpai..." Ryoma whispered.

If only, Ryoma wished, the illusion of Momoshiro would actually be real. But after a few seconds, the image faded and Kachiro stood in his place once again. Knowing that this isn't the time to fall back, Ryoma grinned and nodded.

"Right. Let's continue!"

* * *

><p>Back to the game, Fuji was now well enough to get back on the court and walked to his spot, racket in hand. "Momo...it's time I do my share to avenge your sacrifice", he said mentally.<p>

As he planned, Kaidoh returned after the reluctant idea of skipping out during Inui's game so he can finish the job.

"You again pretty boy?" the Viper said with annoyance, "And I thought you were too scared to come out after I beat you with my Snake Death Shot." He recalled the shocked and trembling state Fuji was in after first experiencing the Death Shot earlier. But this time, Fuji was prepared and determined to play.

"I wouldn't want to disappoint you if I quit now and ended the game like that would I?" the tensai inquired smiling playfully. But don't let this smile fool you. In his mind, he has every mind to get back at Kaidoh for killing Momoshiro, no matter what.

To begin, Fuji did a risky move and closed his eyes shut completely so he can enter the Closed Eye state. This was a state he was practicing with during his training. He learned that by using Closed Eye, he can enhance his instincts besides his eyes. Now from this, Kaidoh thought that he has gone nuts.

"What an idiot...You're already admitting defeat."

He then began a serve and once he whack and sent the ball to Fuji's side, Fuji easily ran over and countered the ball with a simple forehand. After a not so long rally, Kaidoh remembered that Saotome told him before in the previous game and decided to take that advice.

"Try this! Reverse Snake!"

This time when he received the ball, Kaidoh changed its direction at the last moment. Now the ball went to the opposite direction than the Snake Shot would usually go so he'd catch Fuji off guard when he's expecting him to use his Death Shot.

The minute Kaidoh used Reverse Snake, the rest of Seigaku got startled. "He used a different technique to trick Shusuke!" said Eiji in panic, "What's he going to do?"

Kaidoh could only think of victory in his hands...but he didn't notice that Fuji had a hidden smirk on the corner of his mouth. Thanks to the Closed Eye state, Fuji's ears located the ball's direction for him as it flew across the air while spinning.

"...I had a feeling you were going to do that."

And to Kaidoh's surprise, Fuji stretched out to the side and received the ball openly with his racket and held it at such a position so that the ball is picking up more spin and speed against his net. He then quickly spun around, crouching to one knee and released the ball with his back facing Kaidoh. The ball traveled in an arc and landed smack on his opponent's side while Kaidoh was stuck in stunned state and earning Fuji another point.

"Triple Counter number 2...Higuma Otoshi", said Fuji.

Kaidoh grew more frustrated that this trick didn't work. "Fshhu...darn that tensai..."

...

From that point on, Seigaku's luck may just rise up again as Fuji continued the game. Thanks to Closed Eye, Fuji has bypassed Kaidoh's Snake Shots and Reverse Snake by instinct and earned more points. Eventually the game was at 5 to 2 with Fuji in the lead.

During this possible last round, Kaidoh was getting disturbed to focus and think of what move to use next. So far, Fuji has read and countered each of his shots. That is, until he remembered, he hasn't used the Snake Death Shot on Fuji yet. And there was no better time to use it than now.

"I won't lose to this guy!" Kaidoh proclaimed. In a last and desperate attempt, Kaidoh took a familiar stance.

"That stance!" Oishi recognized, "He's going to use the Snake Death Shot!"

Unfortunately his warning wasn't going to reach Fuji's ears from where he's standing. It'll be all up to him to make it through the dangerous technique.

When the ball is now coming towards him, Kaidoh swung back and swung forward with great strength. "Snake Death Shot!"

Again, Fuji used Closed Eye to track down the ball and it worked once again. This time, he noticed the difference and realized that Kaidoh is using the Death Snake Shot, which was exactly what Fuji has been preparing for.

To Kaidoh's surprise, Fuji placed himself in the ball's way and hit it full on his his racket. But instead of using Tsubame Gaeshi or even Higuma Otoshi, Fuji used a super slice that sent the ball flying to Kaidoh's side. This ball used a strong backspin that it created a huge gust of wind as it shot past his head by a few inches and landed on the rear of his court right behind where he's standing. But the ball still had such spin that it bounced off from where it landed and catching Kaidoh off guard, collided right into the back of his head and sent him forward. When Kaidoh's head was flung forward due to the painful collision of the ball, the ball zoomed right back into Fuji's open hand and he caught it.

"Game and match to Seigaku! 6 games to 2!"

Provoked and upset that his head now has a sore bump from the Triple Counter, Kaidoh hissed angrily, "Fshuu...You freak...what the heck was that?"

"That was my 3rd counter...Hakugei", Fuji answered, "Originally I don't intend to use my Triple Counters in this kind of manner. However..." Here his eyes opened in a narrow glare, "After what you did to our friend, I will use them in any way to get revenge."

Kaidoh can just feel it, this Fuji standing in front of him right now was definitely much more different than the Fuji who trembled in fear from his Snake Shot. Just by looking at the tensai's eyes did he get a strange chill up his spine.

After what happened, the Higa players got concerned about Kaidoh and began suggesting that he take a break.

"Hey Kaidoh, you okay?"

"That looked like it hurt. Maybe you should fall back and get that treated."

"Quiet!" Kaidoh shouted harshly, spooking his teammates, "This is nothing to be freaked out by. Just shut up and let me do my work, got it?"

Not wanting to get on his bad side, the Higa players backed away and returned to their benches as Kaidoh demanded.

* * *

><p>Back in the underground training courts, the court was littered with tennis balls. Some of them remained whole while others were split equally or non-equally. Kachiro at this point was on his knees catching his breath. As for Ryoma, he was standing on his side, exhausted and has dirt covering his jersey.<p>

After a long while, Ryoma finally got the Samurai Drive exactly how he wants it.

"...It's finally ready", he stated in satisfaction.

At this news, Kachiro's face lit up with excitement. "Really? That's good", he said with relief.

Now that that's done, Ryoma got to his feet and picked up his racket. He then made the big announcement, "Kachiro...get yourself ready. We're going up next."

It is now time for Ryoma to reveal his brand new technique that could win them the match and avenge for Momoshiro's death. Will it be able to work?

_**To**__** Be Continued...**_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: As expected of the data man and genius of Team Seigaku. Now that Seigaku is starting to kick things up, will Ryoma's new techniques be completed in time? And how will Kachiro do in his first ever match? And what is up with Kaidoh's past?  
><strong>

**Also, I know there are some Tezuka fans out there that are wondering when he's going to appear. Well, I can't spoil too much for future chapters, but I regret to say that Tezuka won't be appearing until many chapters later. Sorry!**

**However...**

**Read carefully in the next future chapters. Who knows that there might be some kind of reference to him somewhere between the lines...**

* * *

><p><strong>Trivia: See if you can guess who the mysterious caller is who keeps offering advice to the team! He may or may not be somewhat revealed in a future chapter! The first to respond will receive a special hint concerning this person.<br>**


	11. Another Ultimate Man Revealed!

**YES, I'M NOT DEAD! Finally I've managed to finish this! I am so sorry for the long non-activeness in this story. I really hope no one didn't forget about this story. **

**I had a few struggles in how to type this chapter actually and ****since tennis scoring confuses me, I won't be thoroughly accurate with the scores so bear with me please until the end.**

**Now...'nuff said. On with the story!**

* * *

><p><strong>Previously...<strong>

Seigaku mourns over the death of Momoshiro. But with help from the mysterious caller from before, Team Seigaku's Inui and Fuji have worked hard to create a counter plan against Kaoru Kaidoh's Snake Death Shot. Ryoma is continuing his training to perfect the Muga no Kyoichi and the Samurai Drive with help of replacing member Kachiro, who Momoshiro bestowed his ultimate man powers to. Meanwhile, the game continues with suspense but with high hopes as Inui and Fuji brings their team back on track.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 11<span>: Fight Seigaku! Another Ultimate Man Revealed?**

Fuji's Closed Eye strategy worked well as he survived a game with Kaidoh and won. Now using his newly developed techniques, Fuji went up against another Higa singles player. He won the game in the end by using Hakugei that, unlike Kaidoh who withstood the strike in the back of the head, the Higa player was knocked out cold the instant the ball slammed into the back of his head after bouncing to the rear of his side of the court.

"Due to Higa's player unable to play further, game and match to Seigaku!" the referee announced.

Higa came and carried their unconscious player back and gave befuddled expressions at the skills of Seigaku's tensai. Fuji watched them and released a breath of relief. He then slowly and quietly walked back to the bunkers, tired from all the hard training he did previously. But he was greeted first by his cheering teammates who ran out to congratulate him on his win.

Eiji jumped around Fuji, patting his head and saying, "Yay you did it Shusuke! Come on! Be more cheerful!"

All Fuji did was give a weak but relieved smile. "Thanks Eiji."

Fuji's plan worked, but it wasn't the end of the match yet. The time has come for Seigaku's newest member to join in the game.

The game commentator spoke to the audience watching all over Tokyo, "Well folks, it appears that Team Seigaku has decided to now put their newest member of the team onto the court, who just recently, is replacing former team member Takeshi Momoshiro after his sudden death. We shall see if the new rookie has what it takes to bring his team to a victory."

...

Following Ryoma into the stadium, Kachiro at this time has arrived from the tunnel that led to the lockers. Both were still covered in dirt and small bruises due to their training but he now Kachiro wore Ryoma's team jacket over his shirt at the last minute so he'd be part of the team now.

Before he went out to the court, Kachiro needed a moment to mentally prepare himself. He first looked down at the racket that originally belonged to Momoshiro and gripped it tightly. "Momo-senpai...please assist me", he requested mentally, hoping that Momo's spirit was still listening. With that, Kachiro bowed his head and boldly stepped out of the bunker to join Ryoma on the court in his first doubles match.

"I don't get it", said Eiji, "Ochibi's specialty is in Singles games. Why did he chose to play doubles for this round?"

"We'll just have to wait and see", said Oishi, "He must be putting a lot of trust into Kachiro for this game."

...

In order to get steam off of him from his previous rounds that he lost, Kaidoh retreated and sat out for this game. Instead, their double players Shiranui and Aragaki were sent out to play Seigaku's doubles pair. "One new substitute doesn't make a difference," Kaidoh muttered to himself.

Ryoma noticed Kachiro looking a little uneasy and nervous about this game. He can't blame him, after all, Kachiro hasn't played tennis in a very long time due to his hand injury.

"Hey Kachiro, believe in your ability", the prince of tennis encouraged, "We will win this match." His partner looked at him and nodded back. Then Ryoma looked down at his left arm. Since he used it too much during the training session when it was injured in the first place, it has become sore and almost numb.

"_...Since I can't overuse my left arm, I'm going to to have to try a different way for now_", he thought.

With that, startling Kaidoh and everyone else, Ryoma tossed his racket into his right hand rather than using his dominant arm. Team Seigaku's players all remember that Ryoma is ambidextrous but they hope that he'll be alright using his non dominant hand to play.

"You think switching racket arms is going to make a difference?" Kaidoh spoke when he saw this from his seat. Ryoma took a few moments to get his hand used to gripping the racket as he swung it back and forth a couple of times. His response is simply, "...Mada mada dane."

Unwilling to wait any longer, Aragaki had the first ball in his hand and tossed it up before serving it. "Take this!"

After the serve, Kachiro saved Ryoma the trouble in chasing the ball and went to return it first.

Immediately spotting the ball's direction, Ryoma gave a direct order, "Kachiro, to the side!"

"Right!"

Following Ryoma's instruction, Kachiro moved to the right side, opposite of where the ball is aiming to. At first Higa thought that it was a stupid move, until they saw Ryoma sliding right into the ball's path. With a swing, Ryoma sent the ball back but with a familiar looking posture.

"Drive C!" he shouted after returning the ball. The technique he used made the ball hit the ground on Higa's side but spins while curving along the ground.

"30-love!"

Eiji noticed something from Drive C that got him curious. "Hey, didn't that look familiar to you?" he asked his teammates. "Yeah..." said Fuji, eyes slightly open, "It almost works like my Tsubame Gaeshi. I think he developed that drive volley after watching me several times."

As the game continued, Ryoma and Kachiro found themselves at a good pace. The more they rallied against Higa, Kachiro's instincts were improving and he moves quick too. Pretty soon they received another few points and earned a game. With Ryoma giving Kachiro some heads up pointers during the rallies, Kachiro showed quick reflexes and change in movements that got them another game won.

After returning another ball he nearly missed, Shiranui made a desperate attempt to change the flow of the game.

Spotting the ball, Ryoma made an attempt to go after the ball but lost his stance when his foot slipped. "Oh shoot...!"

Since this was sudden, Ryoma lost his footing and missed his chance to hit it.

But he wasn't alone. The moment he saw Ryoma slipped and missed the ball, Kachiro saw it to himself to run after it. He quickly ran straight off the court and in the outer area, eyes straight on the ball hovering over him. Then when he saw it coming down, the tennis abilities Momoshiro passed on to him kicked in as he kicked off from the ground and stretched out his racket in effort. To his relief, he made it so the ball landed on his racket net and he gave it a swing to send the ball flying in an arc and landed just close to the net on the opponents' side.

"Game to Seigaku!"

From where he is, Ryoma gave his partner a thumb up to praise him for his quick save. Eiji gave a cheer from the sidelines. "Way to go Ochibi, Kachiro!" he said enthusiastically.

Few minutes later, Higa and Seigaku's scores are neck to neck.

Aragaki and Shiranui were catching their breaths and panting. "How can these two keep up?" Aragaki muttered to himself, "Their rookie wasn't even good to play in the first place!"

Ryoma was ready to serve and tossed the ball up again. He used his strength in his right arm to send the ball flying to Higa's side once again.

It was right here one of the Higa players' decided to snap.

"ARGH! We can't let them win!" he yelled in agony. Unable to stand and watch them lose any longer, and with their team's reputation pressuring them on this game, Aragaki made a reckless move. Instantly pushing aside the plan he and his partner went over, Aragaki left his spot to go near the net.

"Wait Koichi! Stick to the plan!" his partner yelled.

Finally, this was the chance Ryoma was waiting for...to try out his new technique.

Using his right arm, Ryoma positioned himself in the center and had his eyes focused on the ball heading towards him. At the point when the ball came close, he raised his racket and let it collide into the side of his racket instead of the net. From the instant slice swing and force, the ball sliced into two. The halves of the ball flew to over the net and separated into different ends and surprisingly got enough strength to whack into the Higa players straight in the faces and they were knocked back and fell down unconscious.

In reaction to this outstanding new technique, the Seigaku players were amazed. "Whoa! So that's his new technique!" Kawamura remarked. Inui immediately took notes when he saw this while Fuji and Eiji praised Ryoma for his success.

The Higa players reacted by getting to their feet and shouting out their unconscious teammates' names in panic.

"Hey Shiranui! Aragaki!"

"You okay?"

"They're knocked out cold!"

However from where he's sitting, Kaidoh shouted harshly at them, "Get a hold of yourselves! Quit acting like wimps and just get some replacements for the next game!"

The other Higa players silenced themselves as they were a little spooked by Kaidoh but hastily did as he said and dragged their unconscious players off the court. Seeing Seigaku devloping a new plan to defeat them, Saotome and Kite both were uncomfortable with Seigaku's comeback strategy. "That Seigaku brat doesn't know when to call it quits", Saotome muttered.

"Why are you worried Coach?" Kite questioned, "Once we put Kaidoh out on the court again, his Death Snake Shot will win us this game."

However Saotome had a different thought in mind that concerns him.

"No...That's their intention", he presumed, "If Kaidoh uses his Death Snake Shot against that...then we'll lose."

* * *

><p>Yamato, still in the hidden office of Nanjiro Echizen, is now writing down notes he has learned about his boys who are developing their abilities further into the game. Scattered on his desk were seven folders, each with a Seigaku player's name labeled on the front.<p>

Inside contains information and notes of each player's abilities and background. He likes to update the information as he watched the game and so far, he had added stuff like Fuji's Closed Eye and Inui's Sonic Serve like from the previous games.

Now he is starting to take down notes of Ryoma's brand new Samurai Drive. When he finished writing, he looked back up at the screen showing the game.

"You're getting close to victory Ryoma", he said, "...Help your teammate win."

* * *

><p>By time the set match was close to its end, Kaidoh is frustrated at the fact that Ryoma's Samurai Drive has managed to knock out another doubles team that was sent to replace the previous ones.<p>

Afraid that they'll lose more players if this continues, Saotome took the first chance he got to pull Kaidoh aside to give him a last minute strategy. But when he told it to Kaidoh, the Viper got a discouraging reaction.

"What?" he snapped at the coach, "What do you mean seal my Death Snake Shot?"

"We've already lost a few players against that Fuji. If Echizen and his partner manages to knock out more of our boys, then this match is done for", Saotome said, showing caution with his stern look.

"What does sealing my Death Snake Shot have that'll win this? That technique is my best and strongest technique that I've ever used! There's no way I'll seal it because of these losers and after all the training I put into that shot!"

The coach was not backing down from his order. "If you say your technique is strong and best, then we would've already won this match. Don't forget where you are. Quit dragging this team down and make some use or this team will never prove to be National level!" he strictly instructed.

However, Saotome isn't the only one who's ticked. Kaidoh is in a worse mood.

In a fit of frustration, Kaidoh threw his racket on the ground. "Shut up!" he snapped, "You just never change do you?" His eyes now bore hate as he glared at Saotome. "Ever since then...you've been accepting players but dropping them out once they're of no use...Just like back then..."

* * *

><p><strong>Flashback<strong>

_It was during Kaidoh's childhood, when he was only 8, that one particular day triggered Kaidoh's hate in tennis. Back then, Kaidoh had loved tennis as any other would. And the one that inspired him in the world of tennis was his father. __His father had played for an adult tennis team that had been previously coached by Saotome before. That is, until the sudden accident happened._

_Two days before the team was set to play in the big Nationals, Kaidoh's father, one of the team's best singles spot player, had gotten himself injured badly in a car accident. __Due to his injuries, his participation in the upcoming match is out of the question, much to the tennis player's shock and dismay as well as the team's._

_The day before the Nationals, Kaoru was just arriving at the hospital to visit his father as usual. But right when he arrived at the open doorway to the room his dad is resting in, he overheard another voice already in the room conversing with his father. Curious like any young boy would be, Kaoru decided to stand outside, peek inside and listen to the conversation, but he'll later find out that he shouldn't have._

_Inside, Kaoru saw his father in bed. Standing beside the bed talking with him is Saotome, who Kaoru recognizes as his dad's coach. Right now, his father had a distraught look of emotion on his face. "No please! Don't take me out!" Kaoru's father pleaded, "Even if I can't play tennis anymore, let me still contribute the team! I'll help with the equipment! Do the paperwork and training sessions! Anything! Don't take tennis away from my career!" He was reaching out and grabbing onto Saotome's shirt, eagerly desperate._

_Just now, Saotome gave the bad news that he has to let Kaidoh off the team. The reason so is that not only for Saotome's personal opinions, but other teams, as he say, thinks that Kaidoh is too injured at at an old age to continue playing in a tennis team. Even so, despite his pleas to the coach to let him continue tennis some way, the older Kaidoh got a saddening disapproving shake from Saotome and pulled the father's hand off of his shirt._

_"You're of no use to the team", the coach stated, "And with you, our star athlete out, the team has no chance of winning in the Nationals. In fact...I don't think the team deserves to continue playing under my watch anymore. They should all drop out."_

_This was a great shock to Mr. Kaidoh. He tried reasoning with Saotome again. "Coach wait! Don't take this out on the team!" he begged, "Give them a chance!"_

_Saotome turned and looked at the older Kaidoh in the eye and said the words that will scar his team for the rest of the lives, "...I don't need a team that's of no use to me and can't reach victory all because of one setback."_

_From the sight of this, Kaoru had anger building up from inside as he saw his father's saddened face. Then out of nowhere, he extended a fist and punched the wall in frustration. He didn't care about the pain that's coming from his sore knuckles upon colliding with the hard wall. All he thought about was the anger he has against Saotome after seeing his father's dream crushed before him. From that day, he intends to use tennis in order to get payback for the end of his father's tennis career. One day, he told himself, he'll show Saotome the extent of his family's tennis abilities._

**End of Flashback**

* * *

><p>Back in the present, the anger that built up from the day still haunts Kaidoh's head as he clenched his fist tightly in front of Saotome. That memory was what led Saotome to switch to coaching younger teams, so he'd have a higher chance to coach a winning team.<p>

Kaidoh looked at Saotome in the eyes with a dangerous glare. "You still haven't changed your ways from that day on", he stated, "Soon after dumping my father from the team, you've then disbanded the entire team just because they failed to win the Nationals!"

As much as all of Kaidoh's words are true, Saotome didn't felt the least bit guilty of what happened back then. He scoffed as he walked by Kaidoh and stared in the opposite direction. "Make your decision Kaidoh. Would you rather stay on top with true ultimate men like us, or you can just kiss tennis career good-bye and be better off like your father", the coach inquired, "If you plan to stay, then you will seal the Death Snake Shot and try something else."

Kaidoh was tempted to punch Saotome, but he remembered his warning. He can't afford to go down after all the hard work he's put in to get himself to the top. With that, he reluctantly went and picked up his racket, holding it with a tightened grip and giving a hiss.

Seeing Kaidoh following his directions, Saotome gave a grin and went back to sit on the benches.

Kite had been watching Saotome and Kaidoh's conversation from the bunker and had a pretty good feeling that Saotome had ordered Kaidoh to do something risky by the way he saw Kaidoh's anger flare up. Needing to confirm something, the captain stepped out to talk with Kaidoh.

"Kaidoh", he spoke. The Viper looked at him, still ticked off. "What do you want this time?" he said coldly. Kite spoke, "Coach just told you refrain from using the Death Snake Shot didn't he?"

He took Kaidoh's silence and irritated growl as a yes. "I see..." Kite continued, "Allow me to offer some advice from captain to teammate. You're not alone when it comes to debating against Saotome's judgement. In fact, I figured that our coach is looking far from victory than what his stubborn eye can see. All he cares about is fame and fortune while letting us do his work."

"What are you saying?" Kaidoh said impatiently.

"My advice is this...use whatever extent of your power and forget about what others order you from stopping you to your goal. You do want to beat them and show the world that your style of tennis is unbeatable? Don't worry about what Coach says for a minute. If you have great confidence in your tennis techniques...then you can prove it to Coach."

Kite said what he needed to say and walked off. His advice had Kaidoh think again on where his thoughts lie..following the coach that he is ticked off against, or follow Kite's advice.

* * *

><p>It was now the moment everyone has been waiting for, the final match of the entire game. At this point, the score was now at a tie. If either team wins this last match, then that team will be the winner. The commentator spoke, "This is it folks. We come down to the final match of the entire game. It is announced to be Singles. For Seigaku, they have Ryoma Echizen stepping in as their player. For Higa, it is Kaoru Kaidoh, who has mastered the Death Snake Shot, that'll participate."<p>

At this point, to get an annoying lecture from Saotome really flared Kaidoh's temper up. "Those Seigaku punks are going down if it's the last straw."

When he took his place on the court, he and Ryoma meet eye to eye once again on their final stage of battle. This would be the final showdown Ryoma has been waiting for against the Viper.

Ryoma has the ball in his hand, that his fingers are tightened around. "I always wanted to try this technique on you..." he said to himself with anticipation.

Then he tossed the ball up and did an ordinary serve with his left arm. Following its path, Kaidoh allowed the ball to come close to him before taking a deep breath and swinging his racket against the object with a great swing. "Snake Shot!"

The ball moved in a fast topspin and moved in a crescent form, heading towards Ryoma's side. Ryoma ran across his court to catch it, but with a particular form. Kaidoh was the first to realize how Ryoma is shifting weight from his left to right and swinging his racket upwards...a mirrored image of the technique he just performed.

"What the-!"

Ryoma swung his racket and sent the ball in the same crescent form path, heading to the other side of where Kaidoh is standing. Caught unexpected, Kaidoh ran suddenly but didn't make it in time to catch the ball that hit inside his court, earning Seigaku a point.

A befuddled Kaidoh looked at Ryoma, who's showing a proud and accomplished grin. "That kid...He mimicked my Snake Shot", said Kaidoh in disbelief.

The Muga no Kyoichi has paid off, but it still comes with a price. It was unfortunately at this point, Muga no Kyoichi has started to take its toll on Ryoma as his body feels weak and heavy each minute. The great swing needed to perform Snake Shot took energy from Ryoma, in addition to the energy he put in his arm using Muga no Kyoichi. Now Ryoma's proud smile vanished as he nearly swaggered.

"Ryoma, are you alright?" Oishi called out worriedly from the benches when he noticed Ryoma's swaggering.

Fortunately Ryoma kept his stance and panted. "...Only a few more points..." he told himself, "...Please let me do a few more..." He mentally prayed for more energy enough to last him the rest of the game. If he can succeed in getting ace serves, he'll win the match quicker.

* * *

><p>Despite his energy not in full condition, Ryoma continued the match by serving the next ball. The next one was different. Remembering the time when he achieved Dragon Cyclone Smash, Ryoma put the same speed and spin into the serve and made the ball spin like a tornado when it landed on Kaidoh's court. "Cyclone Twist Serve!" he dubbed it.<p>

Kaidoh did not expect another new technique, but his eyes were open for it and when the ball shot up from the ground, Kaidoh raised his racket in the nick of time. The ball spun wildly against his net and Kaidoh used all the strength in his arm to at least barely swing. It resulted with the ball not perfectly aimed at Ryoma's court, but it landed outside the baseline.

"Out!" the referee shouted.

Kaidoh looked at his racket to see the net with a sphere shaped burnt mark from the ball spinning fast against it and left a thin trace of smoke, showing the amount of power Ryoma put into the ball. This sight disturbed Kaidoh as his eyes stared at his racket with a stunned expression.

"_Such a heavy ball...__Where on earth...does he have such power in his weak condition?_" he asked mentally.

Again, Ryoma was weakened by the technique and felt fatigue fighting to gain control over him.

But Ryoma stopped him and was able to maintain his stance and keep on his feet, trying his best to ignore his throbbing arm. Unfortunately it was already too late to hide the pain from Kaidoh. "Don't worry about me..." he told his doubles partner, "This pain...is not comparable to what Momo-senpai suffered..."

Kaidoh's eyes were focused on the pain Ryoma is fighting against in his shoulder. "You finally reached your limit."

But then he got distracted by the sweat covering his face. Annoyed, Kaidoh pulled off his bandana and used it to wipe the sweat off and clutched it tightly in his hand.

While Kaidoh's mind is full of determination on beating them, Eiji's eyes noticed that something was glowing on Kaidoh's forehead. "Hey guys, look!" he told his teammates. All of them looked at Kaidoh, eyes on his forehead as a round mark started to appear on the skin.

"No way...Is that...?" Oishi started.

"Impossible..."

"All this time...?"

There was no denying the official proof in front of their eyes...The mark Kaidoh received was in the shape of a tennis ball. This can only mean one thing...

"A tennis ball shaped birthmark..." Inui confirmed.

"Just like ours..." said an awestruck Eiji.

"Then that means Kaidoh is a successor to Samurai Nanjiro like we are..." Fuji confirmed.

But for Ryoma, the way he's grinning, it didn't look like that much of a surprise for him. "So...I guess it wasn't a coincidence that we'd be playing a match against it other...teammate", Ryoma stated. He had a pleased smile on his face to have discovered this new fact about Kaidoh.

When Kaidoh felt the strange sensation gone from his forehead, he reached up and touched the place where his new mark is and was at first speechless. Why it appeared now in the middle of this game, he might never know.

"...But how? It doesn't make sense", he said, full of disbelief that he could be one of them just like that.

"It does", said Ryoma, "It now officially proves that you are one of us from the beginning."

This was not what Kaidoh had expected. It was the worse thing he'd imagined. He is meant to be one of their teammates. He barked in denial, "Shut up! This doesn't change everything! Don't lump me in with all of you!"

"Don't you see?" Ryoma replied, "This just steps up the competition now. A fight between ultimate men. This is getting interesting."

The birthmark on Kaidoh can't be overlooked or ignored, so Kaidoh scoffed and decided to tie his bandana back on his head and conceal his birthmark. "Fine then...If I am to be an Ultimate man, I declare now that I will beat all of you with just 4 serves."

As usual, taking on challenges is something Ryoma can't resist. "I accept your bet", he said willingly, "And I agree with you...3 serves are all we need to finish this game."

He awaited for Kaidoh to make his serve with focused eyes and sweat dropping down his bangs. Viper tossed the first ball and yelled as he whacked his racket against it. Ryoma ran forward and filled his arm with energy to whack the ball with the side of his racket. The force of the impact made the ball zoom and slice in half upon cutting through the net wire, resulting in two halves landing on either side of Viper, untouched.

"Point to Seigaku!" the referee shouted.

With 3 more serves left, Kaidoh prepared the next ball and gave it his whole strength as he served the next ball again. Again, Ryoma put energy in his arm once again and performed another Samurai Drive. Much to Kaidoh's dismay, he couldn't catch either half of the ball and Seigaku gained another point.

Ryoma had a triumphant smile to see another point gained, but it vanished when his arm bothered him again. The minute they saw Ryoma stagger once again, everyone on Team Seigaku gasped and called out in worry.

"Ryoma!"

"Echizen!"

"Hang in there Kiddo!"

This is the part where Ryoma's words of assurance won't calm his teammates down. Ryoma looked ahead to face Kaidoh and saw his vision getting a little out of focus. "No...I just need 2 more serves.."

Kaidoh saw Ryoma struggling to stay up and had an irresistible urge to use his Death Snake Shot. But he was reminded of the warning Saotome gave him and nearly gave it up. But he got second thoughts when he remembered Kite's advice. He finally made his decision.

"_...There's no way that Saotome can make me not use my Shake Shots at the point where Echizen is at his limit! I'll make sure to crush him with this!_" he motivated himself as he pulled his racket arm back and was ready to do the recognizable shot.

Seigaku saw and understood what technique he's going to use next. "It's Death Snake Shot!" Eiji said in alarm. But then the boys looked at Ryoma on the court and saw him clutching his arm.

Inui's eyes narrowed. "He's not going to survive against that next shot..."

"Ryoma, you have to get up!" Kawamura warned.

Concerned, Oishi spoke, "If Echizen gets hit, his injuries will worsen. We've got to forfeit the match!"

"But we can't", Fuji said regrettably, "This is the last game that'll mark the end of the match. If we forfeit, then we lose it all."

"There's got to be something we can do!" Eiji said anxiously.

Stuck and realizing the dangerous situation Ryoma's in, it was then Kachiro made the bravest and risky move that will decide his fate. "_If we lose here...then the sacrifice Momo-senpai made...would be lost..._" He thought back to the hard times that brought them this far into the game and all of the players' determination to win.

And with a great yell of desperation, Kachiro startled his teammates by charging off onto the court.

"Kachiro stop!" Oishi shouted.

"It's too dangerous!" Fuji warned.

"Kachiro!" Eiji cried.

But their pleas were ignored as Kachiro continued running out onto the court. As Kaidoh's Death Snake Shot just made it over the net, Kachiro used his legs to kick off from the ground and lunge himself in front of its path. When Ryoma looked up, he gasped. "Kachiro!" Ryoma yelled in horror.

Seconds later, all members of Seigaku saw the Death Snake Shot make contact with Kachiro, who willingly took the Death Snake Shot, following the example Momo showed to give his team a chance to complete their goal in going to the Nationals. Kachiro, not as strong as Momoshiro was, even with his new ultimate man powers, unfortunately couldn't stand against the crushing blow the Death Snake Shot had and received a critical damage to the chest. The punch from the shot created a devastating shock that affected Kachiro's heart. It was hit with so much pressure and shock that it was losing the life to live on.

In his final moments, Kachiro thought, "_Forgive me...Momo-senpai...But this is the only way I can help everyone win...Everyone...thank you for letting me play on your team..._"

...

The sound of a body crashing on the ground was the last thing heard before silence came over the court again. A similar event once again repeats itself, much to Ryoma and Seigaku's shock as they saw Kachiro on the ground lying absolutely still.

"Kachiro...he's...he's..." Eiji stuttered.

"Dead..." Kawamura painfully said.

The one who helped him achieve his Samurai Drive after Momoshiro protected him from Kaidoh's shot, much to Ryoma's pain. "Kachiro...no..."

Satisfied that his Death Snake Shot had claimed another victim, Kaidoh approached Kachiro's body and looked down at it with disgust. "So much for team bond huh?" he taunted, "He practically begged me to finish him off like that other one in the midst of your loss."

With that, he kicked the body without any regret so it would lie on its back. This act of dishonor and abusing angered Ryoma that he clenched a fist. "You..." he said coldly, "Kachiro and Momo-senpai played for the honor of our team! Their actions were never reckless!"

Not taking Ryoma's anger seriously, Kaidoh had the next ball in his hand, for he still has only two serves left that will end the game. "I warned all of you before that you will meet your end in this match. If you had heed my warning, then your two teammates wouldn't have given up their lives so recklessly."

Ryoma just wanted to yell angrily at Kaidoh for all that he's done but hissed in pain when the pain in his shoulder increased. The time for using the Muga no Kyochi has begun to wear off as he felt his body weakening and his vision getting blurry. Inui was aware of his condition and narrowed his eyes. "Not good. His body is exhausted from the Muga no Kyochi. He's left vulnerable now", he said in concern.

After all that's happened up to now, Eiji was sinking into despair that he clutched the sides of his head. "Mou...How much more pain?" he mourned, "...How many more lives do we have to lose before we reach the Nationals? First Momo...and now poor Kachiro...And if we can't help Ochibi...we'll lose him too...!"

Oishi was in the same state of grief and despair as Eiji is. "What do we do? We need something...We need help..."

Then, not knowing whether it will any effect or not, Oishi looked up at the sky and was forced to cry out desperately, "PLEASE HELP US...NANJIRO-SAN!"

That plea echoed in the empty stadium...along with the sound of distant thunder that seemed to answer to Oishi's cry (surprising the player as well).

For no reason, everyone hadn't noticed that dark clouds have been gathering over the stadium. And now the skies were completely covered with dark gray clouds rumbling with thunder. The players of Seigaku were utterly confused.

"W-What's happening now?" said Eiji nervously.

The thunder continued booming and rain began to fall onto the court. While the thunder continued, all of the Seigaku boys got startled when a strange sensational feeling came from their birthmarks.

"This feeling...It's familiar", said a bewildered Inui as he and the others looked at their birthmarks.

Even Ryoma on the court was disturbed by the feeling on his arm and looked down at it. He then looked over at Kachiro's body and saw the birthmark on his right palm glowing brightly before fading away. The prince was even more befuddled. "What's going on?"

Suddenly, Ryoma got startled when a louder crash of thunder then rumbled from the skies. And the next thing, a bolt of lightning came shooting down from the heavens and crashed somewhere in the arena Ryoma that he jumped and fell back on his butt. "What the...What the heck happened?" he spluttered.

He wanted to turn around to see what the lightning had hit but can't be distracted when Kaidoh tossed the ball up and prepared his deadly move once more, despite the strange feeling coming from his forehead birthmark. He decided to hit Ryoma with his guard down before he loses the opportunity to use his trusted technique.

"This game is over!" he proclaimed. With that, he swung very hard and used the Death Snake Shot once again, despite Saotome's strict order.

"Ochibi look out!" Eiji cried out.

"Echizen!"

"Watch out!"

"Ryoma!"

Ryoma looked forward and saw the ball spinning towards him in a snake twisty path and was stunned by its speed. For those next few seconds, his body refused to move or get up. Not only because of his aching arm and his exhaustion taking over, but it was the same feeling as when Fuji tried to counter the shot first, how he commented that the shot just makes you frozen there. It's as if he's stuck frozen, waiting for that ball to hit him. If he doesn't get out of the way, Ryoma feared that he will be dead just like Momoshiro and Kachiro.

However his worry about the ball was put to a halt when the sound of a new but familiar voice shouted in a bold and loud voice.

"ECHIZEN!"

Something came in between the ball and Ryoma at the last moment, scared Ryoma that he closed his eyes when he heard the loud boom of the ball making contact with something strong. That thing then amazingly deflected the Snake Shot with not a racket, but a bare right fist. To everyone's surprise, the ball gave no trouble to the owner of the fist and it was sent shooting out to the side and crashed into a wall like a meteor behind Kaidoh.

"What the...?"

Standing right in front of Ryoma and in the rain was a familiar boy with black hair that spikes up and a tennis ball shaped birthmark on the palm of his right hand. Ryoma first thought that he's seeing a ghost as he almost felt like fainting once he saw the boy's face.

"...M...Momo...senpai?"

All Ryoma heard from the boy standing in front of him was one word that answers all with a smile creeping up on his face.

"...Don."

**_To Be Continued..._**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Here it is! The major big cliffhanger! Who is this newcomer that sounds familiar? Will Team Seigaku achieve victory? I know this is sounding weird, but there's a good reason why I did it to Kachiro. You'll have to see in the next chapter to believe it.  
><strong>

**The match between Seigaku and Higa comes to a climatic close, next chapter!**

**Now...I got some bad news.  
><strong>

**Unfortunately my family and I are moving to a different house and I can't work on these fanfics much until we get a computer and the internet set up at our new house. So I'm afraid you all have to wait a very long time until I can get the next chapters up.  
><strong>

**BUT, on the bright side, if there's any of you who wish to still watch Astro Kyudan episodes (since dramafever seems to not work in several places), they've got all episodes posted on dailymotion and myspace, but it uses hulu player now! YAY!  
><strong>

**Please review!  
><strong>


	12. Power of the Ultimate Men

**No you're not seeing things! The new chapter's here early than you thought! I managed to finish this by using the library computer at my college so what a relief! Here's the final chapter to part 1 of this story!**

* * *

><p><strong>Previously...<strong>

Team Seigaku has managed to make a comeback. Ryoma, with help of their stand in Kachiro, was able to master the Muga no Kyochi and the Samurai Drive.

But as the stakes grew higher, tragedy strikes again for Team Seigaku as they lost Kachiro, who fell victim to Kaidoh's Death Snake Shot.

The game has now nearly reached the end as Kaidoh is about to complete his bet to finish the game within 4 serves with only 2 to go. But with Ryoma almost near his limit for overusing the Muga no Kyochi, it seemed that there would be no hope for the ultimate men.

However, in the desperation and midst of their troubles, someone had come to their aid and bore a distinctive mark on his right palm.

Could it be...?

* * *

><p><strong><span>Chapter 12<span>: The Power of the Ultimate Men**

Someone had come in and deflected Kaidoh's Boomerang Snake in time to protect Ryoma with not racket, but his bare fist, stunning Team Seigaku and Team Higa. Now Ryoma looked up and gasped when he saw that the person standing in front of him has distinctive black hair spiked up and a birthmark shaped as a tennis ball on his right hand. There was only one person who Ryoma could think of.

"M...Momo-senpai...?" Ryoma quietly spoke.

The person slowly turned and revealed his face, giving Ryoma a sly grin and said, "...Don."

Indeed, Takeshi Momoshiro has been revived and is back to finish the game that he had started along with his friends.

Everyone in the stadium, mostly Team Seigaku, were frozen stiff and hit with shock and amazement. And, by stroke of coincidence, the rain has ceased after just raining for a few minutes.

The announcer exclaimed, "I can't believe my eyes! Takeshi Momoshiro of Team Seigaku has returned from the dead! Is this another miraculous power of the ultimate men?"

You can try and imagine how wild the fans watching the game from home are acting and cheering at this moment.

From the benches, the other ultimate men were at loss of words.

"...Momo?"

"Takeshi?"

"Is...Is it really you?"

"It's...illogical..."

Momoshiro reached up and tore off the bandages around his head and revealed that the wound that he had gotten from Kaidoh has stopped bleeding but it still left a pretty bad mark. "Yep, I'm back and ready to play", he announced to his teammates.

But then he looked down at Kachiro's lifeless body and sadness entered his mind. "...Thanks Kachiro...you've done well in my spot", he said gratefully, "...Now it's time I take over again." He then reached Kachiro's hand and took back his racket. "Good to see you again old friend", he said to his trusty weapon.

Higa were left utterly speechless to see Momoshiro return. But then they broke out exclaiming shocked comments.

"I thought that guy was dead!"

"He was!"

"Those tennis players aren't human!"

"What the heck...is with this team?" Saotome spluttered.

However at this time, none was more surprised at Momoshiro's reappearance than Kaidoh himself. "...Impossible..." he said, shock written in his eyes, "How...How is it you're still alive?"

Remembering that the Viper was still present, Momo gave an unpleasant grimace as he turned and faced Kaidoh. "What? You're still here Viper?" he said with annoyance, "Haven't you figured it out by now? I'm still an ultimate man with a goal...to get my team to the Nationals and defeat the Americans!"

Ryoma finally found strength in his legs and slowly approached Momoshiro. "Momo-senpai...Kaidoh...he's one of us", he said, mentioning Momo of the recent discovery.

"Eh? Seriously?" Momoshiro said in disbelief, "Oh just great. My rival turns out to be my teammate after all."

"You can't change the facts senpai", Ryoma said.

"I know that. Then we'll just have to beat this guy and get him on the team by force won't we?" Momo suggested, "I mean after all, we just gained another point right Echizen?"

While Momo had a confident grin on his face, Ryoma had a reluctant and embarrassing correction to make.

"Uh Momo-senpai? Technically, that last return you did...was out."

Momo's smile disappeared when he heard this. Then he remembered that since Kaidoh successfully served the ball to their side with no problem and Momo punched the ball out...it was Kaidoh who earned the latest point.

A sweat drop fell from Momo's brow as he scratched the back of his head and chuckles nervously. "Uh...heh...oops."

He was embarrassed by his mistake but it didn't let him down for too long as his confidence kicked up again. "No matter!" he said boldly, "You still have one serve left to counter right Echizen? Well I already know that you'll get it."

In response to Momo's confidence, Ryoma nodded and smiled back. "Thanks senpai."

Now there was one thing Momoshiro wanted to take care of first before he watches Echizen's last minutes of his match. He crouched down and picked up Kachiro's body. And without a word, he walked off the court, past Kaidoh without giving him a word, and went to his team's benches so he can place Kachiro in a better spot until the game is over.

When he got there, the other Seigaku players surrounded him and gave him warm welcome.

"Momo you rascal!" Eiji exclaimed as he jumped up and ruffled Momoshiro's hair, "We should've known that we can't lose you so easily!"

"Thank goodness..." Oishi said, with much relief and has tears nearly flowing out of his eyes.

"It was thanks to you guys", said Momo, "While I was gone...I thought I heard a voice. It told me, 'Go back. Your teammates need you.' And the next thing I knew...I was up and ran out here."

It was hard for the boys to believe, but they believe Momo in the end.

"Well call it a miracle or luck, I think someone up there must be rooting for us", said Eiji.

* * *

><p>From the hidden office of Nanjiro Echizen, Yamato was also amazed at the unexpected return of Momoshiro. To him, there was only one solution to why Momoshiro was brought back to life.<p>

"I see..." he said in realization, "Nanjiro-sensei...you must've heard your sons' pleas and decided to give Momoshiro another chance to live." After that he gave a small laugh and a grateful sigh.

"...I guess you always have ways to get things done the way you wanted my old coach."

* * *

><p>Not just those in the stadium, everyone all over Japan who's watching the game were fathomed and confused at Momoshiro's miraculous return.<p>

Yamabuki's captain and Sengoku were amazed when they saw Momoshiro on the screen of their TV.

"...Never thought that we would see the similar phenomenon happening right in front of our eyes", Minami said with stunned eyes. Sengoku gave a whistle. "They must be lucky at the moment", he remarked.

...

On the roof of the building, Dan however was the most stunned. "But...But how is it possible?" he asked aloud, "What do you mean similar phenomenon?"

"Haven't you read any news in the past?" Jin spoke without taking his eyes off the screen of his small portable TV, "...You recall that big headliner event in the news about a year ago?"

Dand thought for a moment then remembered something. "You mean the one about the man who was claimed he was dead?" he mentioned, "I heard about it. What happened?"

"...It was reported that the man died in a car crash and his injuries were greatly too much", Akutsu further explained, "As doctors feared and expected, the man died in the hospital 40 minutes after he had arrived."

* * *

><p>The story was also told from Rikkaidai's club room at the same time by Rikkaidai's captain.<p>

"However..." Yukimura continued, "...it was only 8 hours later after they confirmed his death that a miracle occurred...For no particular reason, that same dead man had resurrected and was alive once again before public eyes."

Renji turned to face his captain. "And you suppose that this event happening now is related to how that man came back to life one year ago?" he asked, "It's a 10 out of 100 possibility."

"You really believe that Yukimura?" Sanada inquired.

"I don't know", the captain replied honestly, "But...I can't be too surprise since this is a team who call themselves the ultimate tennis players."

* * *

><p>Call it a miracle or just a stroke of luck, Momoshiro was now ready for action. After taking Kachiro's body out of the stadium, he returned to the courts and was given his team jersey once again as he joins his teammates for the final round.<p>

There was only one serve left that will decide the winner of the big match between Seigaku and Higa. Seigaku's reputation and name is bidded on this last serve.

Before Kaidoh could go and deliver the last serve, he felt remants of water trickling down the sides of his face from his now wet bandana. Distracted, Kaidoh clicked his tongue. "Tch! Thanks to that stupid rain my favorite bandana got all wet."

With that, Kaidoh reached up and grabbed his bandana to flick it off his head once again. This time, he didn't both to put it back on and tossed it to the side, now standing at his spot with no bandana on and his birthmark clearly visible on his forehead.

Following Kaidoh's action, Ryoma also decided to remove his wet cap and toss it to the side so he can feel a small breeze blowing through his hair. The scene became more cliff hanging as both players stared at each other.

"It all ends here, with this final serve", Ryoma declared as he clutched his racket handle tightly, "This match has become a fight for the reputation of the ultimate men!"

All of his fellow teammates had confident thoughts of winning in their minds after hearing Ryoma's statement.

Kaidoh then scoffed, "With this last serve...I shall defeat the Ultimate Men!"

And the moment everyone waited for had come. Kaidoh tossed the last ball up and gave a growl before whacking the ball in one swift downward swing. The ball soared over the net in a snake like trail once again, heading towards Ryoma.

"_The last shot...I got it!_" Ryoma thought confidently. He got into position and raised his left arm with the racket in his hand, ready to perform his new technique for the last time.

But time wasn't on his side at the wrong moment. For now a shock of pain suddenly surged through Ryoma's arm that made him flinch and grip his left shoulder. "_Dang...I've used the Muga no Kyoichi too much from that last round..._" he thought in dismay.

However with the ball coming closer towards him, giving up is not optional here. And despite the searing pain, Ryoma used all his strength, gave a huge painful yell, and gave a huge samurai like swing and hit the ball with the side of his racket before crashing forward on the ground.

After falling on the court, Ryoma quickly raised his head and got a discouraging sight. The ball that he put all his last strength into shot towards Kaidoh as he wanted it to go, but it lacks the power it needed to successfully perform Samurai Drive. To all the boys on the court, time seemed to move slowly, and the ball was slowly flying to the other side. (Think matrix at this point.)

Kaidoh saw the weak forehand hit and realizes Ryoma's failure, seeing his victory close at hand. "Are you all really my teammates?" he mocked with doubt.

Ryoma cursed himself for the lack of speed and power he put into the ball that his fist slammed into the ground. Now because of him, the team is going to lose.

"_I don't have enough power to make the ball go fast...I failed the whole team..._"

...

But...

that was going to change when Momoshiro took his stand right in front of Ryoma out of nowhere, determination and confidence written on his face.

When he heard someone's moving in front of him, Ryoma lifted his head from the ground and spoke in surprise, "Momo-senpai? What are you-?"

"I was gone thanks to that Viper. Now that I just got back, I'm not going to let the same thing happen again, especially to any of my teammates", Momo clearly stated. Then in a louder voice he yelled, "You guys are with me too right?"

Wondering who he's talking to, Ryoma turned and looked over his shoulder and was surprised when he saw the rest of his team coming out of the bunker and making their way towards him. Some of them walked slowly while others limped due to their injuries and exhaustion. From Momo's action, they plan to follow his example and join him.

"What are you doing? Stay back!" Ryoma urged them, concerned for their safety. But his words didn't stop the others.

"We're not...letting you fight alone!" Shuichiro declared. He had Eiji's arm draped around his neck, as he helped him limp over to Ryoma and Momoshiro. "We're all fighting as a team!"

"That's what friends do right?" Fuji mentioned and letting out a confident smile as always.

"Power level of our bond...120%", Inui stated.

"BURNING!" Takashi shouted.

And joining Momoshiro, the six boys linked arms with one another and formed a wall in front of Ryoma, protecting him in case Kaidoh returns a Death Snake Shot, much to Ryoma's surprise.

"Everyone..."

"We may be born at different times and different places, but we can at least die together!" Kikumaru proposed, "Don't forget, through our ultimate men blood, we're brothers!"

Everyone nodded in agreement as they kept their ground and prepared for the worst.

Kaidoh was confused at their action to protect Ryoma, but that didn't scare him the least. "How pathetic", he spoke harshly, "You and your team's friendship makes me sick!" He was ready to use his Death Snake Shot for the last time when he saw the ball now passing the net.

But suddenly Kaidoh saw the ball slowly glowing with some form of energy, shining brightly white. Not only the ball, but even the seven boys on the other end of the court were glowing in the same white aura as well.

It was stunning, because it showed that the will and energy of Team Seigaku's friendship has been placed into the ball, helping it gain speed and power, with the use of Ryoma and the Muga no Kyochi. From behind his teammates, Ryoma got to his feet and was grinning confidently again, feeling the strength of his teammates flowing through him as well.

The ball had picked up speed at the last moment and glowing brightly that he can barely make out the ball's shape, causing Kaidoh to now lose focus and control over himself. It was right when the ball came at him that Kaidoh acted out of desperation and gave a yell, followed by swinging his racket one last time before the area was engulfed by a blinding light.

...

Seconds later, the glowing has finally faded and the people present in the stadium became visible again. The whole stadium became deathly quiet.

Thankfully all of the Seigaku boys remained standing without a single casualty but are caught on suspense to know the outcome of Ryoma's return.

And as for the ball...

Instead of performing the Samurai Drive, not only did the ball had enough power to knock Kaidoh's racket clean out of his hands, but smoke was rising from the racket's net...where a newly made hole has been made from that last strike.

Finally after a long suspenseful silence, the referee finally yelled the result.

"Game! This match is over! Seigaku wins!"

...

This exciting announcement brought such relief and happiness back into Team Seigaku's hearts as they gave enthusiastic shouts of victory. But then shortly after that, they all collapsed on the ground, now finally are able to relax.

"Someone pinch me...I must be dreaming", said Momoshiro lazily as he laid on his back. "Did I actually hear that right...?" Ryoma asked, "Did we really win?"

Kikumaru grinned and sighed, "Yep...We sure did. The battle's over."

After a moment more of sitting, the seven players got on their feet and all did a group huddle, putting each other's arms on each other's shoulders, smiling at each other. Some patted each other's heads and some just patted each other's backs.

But they can't forget about a certain person that they must include in their group, who has lost his match.

Ever since the referee announced Seigaku's victory, Kaidoh has gotten down to one knee and was silent, discouraged at his defeat.

Ryoma then walked over to talk with Kaidoh personally. "So...now that we've won, what are you going to do now?" he asked. He also eyed the tennis ball birthmark embedded on Kaidoh's forehead.

At first it seemed that Kaidoh would never say something to them again. But finally after a long moment, they heard him speak.

"You...You all made me change my opinion in tennis", he spoke in a calm voice, admitting his defeat, "You...and your team bond...has moved me."

To hear this from Kaidoh's mouth himself was all the credit Ryoma needed to hear after their bone breaking match.

* * *

><p>In Rikkaidai's club room, Yukimura, Sanada and Renji heard the commentator's announcement of the match's result from their TV.<p>

"I don't believe! Team Seigaku has successfully won against Team Higa!" the commentator remarked, "They have definitely proved to be ultimate men! The tennis fans have never seen such moving competition!"

After seeing Seigaku won, Yukimaru couldn't help but show a grin, showing how impressed he is in their victory. "They surely had us underestimate them in the end", Renji stated.

"Indeed", Yukimura agreed, "In that case...we can't lose to them either."

Sanada, who had his doubts about Seigaku worthy enough to win against their team, now saw their strength and admits that he is interested as well to one day face against them.

* * *

><p>Elsewhere, Akutsu and Dan were still on the rooftop when they heard Seigaku's victory on Akutsu's portable TV. Akutsu paused in his training when he heard Dan gave an enthusiastic cheer.<p>

"Look Akutsu-senpai! Taka-san and the others did it!" Dan said happily.

Akutsu looked on the screen and saw his former teammate standing amongst his own teammates on the tennis court, savoring their win. It was here Akutsu had his rarely seen grin on his face, unseen by Dan.

"They had not only inspired just the fans", he said, looking down at his racket, "But to tennis players as well." After seeing the marvelous skills Seigaku displayed, Akutsu now had an urge to become stronger himself, as will other young tennis player athletes as he stated.

* * *

><p>From the control room, Yamato watched his tennis stars celebrate their victory with a proud smile. He then touched his sunglasses and removed them to reveal eyes that showed delight. "All of you have successfully obtained this victory with your own hands."<p>

"Samurai Nanjiro my teacher...your son Ryoma- No...Your sons who you bestowed your talents on...they've made it through their first challenge. They really are the key to your dream", he stated, "I'm sure you're proud of them as I am right now."

* * *

><p>As they set out to do, the seven players of Seigaku stood side by side, facing the front of the stadium upon the closing of today's match.<p>

From where they stood, the seven watched proudly as their blue team flag was hung up on the tallest flag pole with the wind blowing and making it soar as they had envisioned it from the beginning, the sign of their first victory obtained.

As for the opposing team, Saotome was of course in great discouragement that his team lost. His players remained quiet but inside are crushed by their loss.

"I've lost..." Saotome said with demise and with a hint of frustration, "...But I won't end here."

The coach left in a tempered fit, but Kite and the other Higa players remained to have a few more moments on the court. Kite gazed out at Team Seigaku standing as champions and had a small amused smirk that he normally doesn't give to other teams.

"Those rookies...They have set a new record in Japan."

He and his team may have lost, but they surely had some entertainment from this match, a match with such an opponent that they might never have a chance to come across any time in the future. After that, Kite led his team members out of the courts and left Seigaku alone.

Kikumaru was the first to notice that Higa was leaving when he turned around. As he watched Kite, Saotome, and the rest of Higa depart, he had a smug chuckle on his bruised face.

"I feel sorry for those guys. Too bad, so sad", he started teasing, "See you all next we-!"

Suddenly he stopped short in the middle of his catchphrase when he felt a strange burning pain from his chest. "My birthmark...!" he hissed between his teeth. Unable to hold it in, he gave a painful yell as he sunk to the ground once again, both hands clutching his chest. A frantic Oishi ran over to his side at this sudden reaction.

"Eiji! What's wrong-?"

But at that moment, Oishi felt the same pain coming from his own birthmark and gripped his shoulder. Soon, the rest of the boys acted the same way, each yelling in pain, and clutching their birthmarks on the different parts of their bodies. The pain was too much that they all fell to the ground as well.

"What's...going on?" Momoshiro muttered, grasping his right wrist and staring at his right palm.

"It never felt like this painful before...It almost feels like it's burning..." said Fuji as he felt his back. Inui felt the birthmark on his ankle burn and fell to one knee. "It's illogical... " he presumed.

"No...The first time I felt something similar to this...was when I saw Kawamura-senpai for the first time", Ryoma recalled, gripping his left arm.

"This must mean…another ultimate player is around here", Kawamura spoke as he felt his neck. "But where?"

At the same time, Kaidoh also felt the same pain running through his forehead for the first time and he yelled in pain along with them, clutching his forehead.

...

While the boys continued bearing through the pain, none of them could notice that there was someone standing in the bleachers watching them in silence. Not much is known about this arrival but he has brown messy hair and oval shaped glasses and wears a dark blue training jersey and matching pants.

"You're not going to meet them?" a man who accompanied him asked.

As he watched his teammates, the mysterious visitor used his free hand to grip his left arm.

"...Not yet", he then spoke in a familiar stoic voice that has been heard from the laptop that the Seigaku boys were given earlier, "I want to continue watching from the back. They still need to convince me that this is the team that needs my abilities."

As he looked down at his left arm, which for some reason started to feel tingly...he included, "Until then...my arm must be fully recovered before that day comes."

He then led his accomplice out of the stands and departed quietly, never to be seen from the ultimate men that day.

...

But his departure wasn't unnoticed by everyone. Someone else was present in the stands as well.

A boy his age wearing sunglasses**(1) **and has facial hair on his chin and over his mouth sat in one of the rows with his feet casually placed on the seat in front of him.

Somehow he too had managed to arrive at the tennis stadium to see the ultimate man with his own eyes as well.

"Tch!...These guys are nothing close to ultimate men", he scoffed.

He then got up from his seat and strolled out with his hands in his pockets, unnoticed by the others down on the courts as well. And while the slacker boy walked down the hallway that leads to the lobby, he had a mischievous grin on his face.

"Things are just getting worse for them from here on out..." he chuckled in amusement. And as he left, he gave a hearty laugh that echoed in the hallway.

* * *

><p><strong>Two Days Later...<strong>

On a small mountaintop far from the city**(2)**, the members of Team Seigaku traveled there to make an important visit on the day after the game with Higa. After the long drive and walk up the mountain, the group arrived at the top of the mountain that has a good view of the city.

Yamato walked up to the gravestone that they had prepared, sitting not too far from the edge of the cliff, where they had buried Kachiro. Underneath Kachiro's name written on the gravestone, were the words '_A Friend and Ultimate Man till the end.'_

Behind him, the seven boys lined up in a row, facing the grave. All of them were still recovering from several injuries from the rough game and with their uniforms cleaned and fixed good as new.

Ryoma's left arm was hung on a sling, finally able to rest since it was sore and nearly numb from using the Muga no Kyoichi technique too much and still has his busted shoulder that needs recovery. Takashi had a neck brace to support his neck while he carries their team's flag. Shuichiro still had his forehead bandages. Eiji had his right hand wrapped and wore a medical eye patch over his bruised left eye and has several smaller bandages on his cheek, forehead, legs, and one across the bridge of his nose. Fuji's leg was healing well so he was able to walk normally but had an ankle protector on. Inui's glasses were fortunately repaired but he still had nearly his entire head wrapped in bandages but left a gap for his eyes to see through**(A/N: Mummy Inui XD)**. And for Momoshiro, he had square shaped band-aids on his forehead and cheek and his wrists were wrapped with bandages.

Yamato was the first to approach the grave and say the first words. He first took out from his pocket the one of the tennis balls used in the match and wrote the date of their victory. He put the ball on the grave as an offering to Kachiro.

"Kachiro…we have succeeded in winning our first game, thanks to your effort and courage", he said, "You have proven yourself a true ultimate man. May you and Nanjiro Echizen's spirit remain with us."

After speaking his small speech, Yamato stepped back to join the other boys and spoke, "Men, give blessings."

In respect to bid their teammate farewell, Ryoma removed his cap as he and all of the boys bowed their heads to the grave after Yamato gave the command.

After raising their heads, Momo wanted to say something to Kachiro as well. He stepped forward and kneeled before the grave and placed flowers on the stone. "Hey pal", he first greeted, trying to smile, "Guess what? We're on our way to face Rikkai. If you'd still be here, you would've made one great ultimate man, a great addition to the team...Make sure to cheer for us when we face off against Rikkai okay?"

Momo bowed to the gave again to bid farewell. But it was after he raised his head that he noticed something else that was placed on the grave. "Hm?"

Sitting at the side of the gravestone is a tennis racket with something green tied around the handle. "Who put this here?" he wondered, holding the object out to his teammates for them to see it.

Ryoma stared at the thing tied around the racket's handle and when he saw a distinctive green bandana, he got a hunch. "There's only one guy who would've done it..." he started. But eventually, his friends soon figured it out who it is by just one thought.

To confirm, Oishi's eyes traveled down the abandoned racket and saw on the bottom of the handle a symbol of a snake.

"...Viper", Oishi spoke, "I mean...Kaoru Kaidoh."

Now that they've discovered that Kaidoh has a birthmark similar to theirs, Kaidoh was to be identified as one of their own. But after the match ended, none of Seigaku has seen a trace of Kaidoh. It's as if Kaidoh disappeared to go into hiding. And to leave his own racket here shows a hint that Kaidoh may have strayed from tennis.

But the thought and mention of Kaidoh's name only brought frustration to Momoshiro again as his right hand that carries his birthmark clenched into a fist. "That punk...There's no way I'll accept him as my teammate and friend", he firmly stated, "...Not after what he did to Kachiro."

"Now, now, I know how you feel", Eiji said calmly for encouragement, "I feel the same way too. We can hate him, but we can't hate a comrade forever right? Let go of that hate Momo."

Fuji then took the racket from Momo's hand and slowly walked up to Kachiro's grave to place it back where it was. "Eiji's right", the tensai said, "Think about Kaidoh's feelings now. He must be lost and in great pain at this moment, wherever he is. I bet he's out there, lonely and struggling to find a way to repent for his actions."

Even though his senpais are encouraging him not to, Momoshiro could still not let go of the hate he has against Kaidoh.

"He better accept what he's done", Ryoma declared, "Or else I won't ever see him as my teammate."

While the boys' had their own thoughts about Kaidoh, Yamato had walked towards the edge of the hill and stared out into the city below them. When he overheard his boys' conversation he began to ponder about Kaidoh's welfare as well. He then looked down at the autographed tennis ball with Samurai Nanjiro's name written on it that he holds in his hand.

Speaking to himself mentally, he thought, "_Whether __they __want __to __or __not, __Kaoru __will __return __to __us someday. __Nanjiro-sensei, __I __hope __your __spirit __will __be __able __to __guide __him __through__ his __actions __and__ find __redemption. __Now, __all __we__ need __is __your __final__ son __to __complete __the __ultimate __tennis __team._"

Questions concerning Kaidoh's being still ran through Yamato's head, but for now, he is more concerned about the goal that his team has still yet to pursue. They are now one step closer to confronting the National champions themselves, and one step closer to achieving their one goal.

**_To Be Continued..._  
><strong>

**END OF PART I**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Ah ha! I told you it was going to be good at the end of the game! Originally from the drama and manga, the character who Momoshiro plays (Kyuji Ueno aka Astro Two) remained dead and the team's equipment boy (Kachiro in this story) continues to be the replacement and the new Astro Two. But since I don't like removing any of the nine main stars from the story, I decided to keep Momoshiro in the game. Hope this wasn't too weird.

Anyways, in the next chapter, Team Seigaku is now prepared to face off Rikkai...or are they? What if they have to prove themselves again but to what team? And who do you think the mysterious two people that left unnoticed in the stadium could be?

Sorry if many of you were expecting Tezuka to show up, but unfortunately his appearance comes near the end of the story. (Again, I'm following the manga/drama plot!) But he will appear, I promise! Please be patient until then!

Review please!

**Trivia:**

**1) **Remember this guy? Check chapter 6 if you forgot. Did you happen to guess where he's from?

**2)** The mountain where Kachiro was buried is the same mountain where the Regulars climbed up in the anime, before Tezuka leaves for Germany.


	13. Important Announcement from the Author!

**MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR:  
><strong>

**This is not a new chapter!  
><strong>

Hey everyone! I know I'm taking a loong time to update. The problem is that I'm stuck with a big problem. And the problem I'm stuck with right now is the decision of which team I should have Team Seigaku face off against in the next part of the story.

You see I have a few teams in mind that I want to use, but unfortunately I can only pick one before the story finishes because I'm following the drama plot of the story that this is based on and I can't make up my mind.

That's where you guys come in. In order for me to finally decide which team to use, I want to hear your guys' opinions.

How?

Right now, on my profile page, I've put up a poll that lists the teams that I want to use but can't decide which one. So I'm asking everyone, readers or just fans of Prince of Tennis, to go over there and vote for your choice. Please encourage others to vote as well, as I will post up the next chapter based on how much votes I get. So if you want the chapter up sooner, then let's get a lot of votes posted here!

* * *

><p>But just to get you started in thinking, here's are the options that I've put in the poll on which team is to appear in the next part:<p>

A) Hyotei

B) U-17 high schoolers (plus a very special mystery guest. feel free to guess who it may be if this gets voted!)

C) The US Coast Team (including Kevin Smith) from the Junior Selection Camp vs US Coast Team arc.

D) A team formed with one or two players from each of the few junior high teams in Prince of Tennis.

* * *

><p>Those are the options. The choice is up to you now! So just go over to my profile page and vote!<p>

I hope to see a lot of votes and decide who to put in the story soon! Again, sorry for the delay in the story!

- Skylark Dragonstar

**P.S.: **As I am waiting for responses on the poll for Team Seigaku: The Ultimate Tennis Team, I am also on a break from Seigaku Host Club. The first reason is because I'm currently in the middle of a new story but it's for Bleach. The second reason is because I'm fresh out of ideas at the moment. So forgive me, but I won't post new chapters for my Prince of Tennis stories for a long while. Sorry!


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